Comparative Efficacy of Warm Water-Only and Warm Saline Mouth Bath in Oral Wound Healing

Aim: The management of oral wounds is aimed at ensuring fast and efficient healing while preventing secondary infections. Warm water and warm saline mouth baths are commonly used for oral wound management, but the comparative efficacy of these two options remains unclear. The aim of the study is to compare the effectiveness of warm saline rinse and warm water-only mouth rinse on the occurrence of infection after dental procedures in a tertiary care hospital.

Study Design: A prospective study conducted in the Oral and Maxillofacial unit of the Dental Department at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo. from 2020 to 2023.

Methodology: The study sample was 96 patients with clinically diagnosed pericoronitis who required excision of the operculum and relieved them of the acute problem. They were randomly assigned to Group 1 and Group 2 of 48 each. Group 1 were operculectomy cases managed post-operatively with a warm saline mouth bath while Group 2 comprised operculectomy cases treated with warm water without salt. Comparison of data was done using Pearson’s Chi-square, Fisher’s exact, or Mann–Whitney U-tests, as applicable. Statistical significance was set at P ₌ 0.05.

Results: Mean age of study group was 32 ± 10.66. The overall number of female patients (n = 32) was less than that of male patients (n = 64). The most satisfactory wound healing was found among males on the Asepsis score. Wound healing after day 5 and 7 with higher percentage of satisfactory wound healing in both groups. There was no significant difference in healing for both groups of patients who used warm saline and only warm water mouth rinse.

Conclusion: Warm water-only mouthwashes and warm saline mouthwashes are equally helpful in the healing of oral wounds. However, because saline has antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory qualities, using it to treat oral wounds may have additional advantages. As a result, the use of warm saline mouthwashes may be thought of as a favored alternative in the care of oral wounds. However, warm water only can be useful in known hypertensive patients where the use of salt may be contraindicated.