Salt Questions · Home, wellness & DIY
How do you gargle with salt water for a toothache?
Short answer
Dissolve ½ teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water, swish it gently around the sore tooth for 30 seconds, then spit. It can loosen trapped food and soothe the gum for a while. It won't fix the cause, so book a dentist, and get urgent care if you have swelling, fever or trouble swallowing.
Salt rinse for tooth pain
- 1½ tsp salt in 1 cup warm water
- 2Swish around the sore tooth for 30 seconds
- 3Spit, repeat a few times a day
- 4Book a dentist
How to do it
- Mix ½ teaspoon of salt into 240 ml of warm water.
- Swish gently around the painful area for about 30 seconds.
- Spit it out, and repeat a few times a day.
What it can and can't do
A warm salt rinse may clean the area and ease gum irritation temporarily. It can't treat tooth decay, a cracked tooth or an abscess.
See a dentist
The NHS advises seeing a dentist for toothache lasting more than two days, and urgent help if your face or jaw swells, you have a high temperature, or you have trouble breathing or swallowing.
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Cite this page
For school projects and reports. Teachers often prefer the original sources too: see the list below.
The Salt Almanac. (2026, November 8). How do you gargle with salt water for a toothache. https://saltalmanac.com/answers/how-do-you-gargle-with-salt-water-for-a-toothache
“How do you gargle with salt water for a toothache.” The Salt Almanac, 8 Nov. 2026, saltalmanac.com/answers/how-do-you-gargle-with-salt-water-for-a-toothache. Accessed [today's date].
“How do you gargle with salt water for a toothache.” The Salt Almanac. Last modified November 8, 2026. https://saltalmanac.com/answers/how-do-you-gargle-with-salt-water-for-a-toothache.
Original sources
- NHS. Toothache. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/toothache/