Question

A student had their wisdom teeth removed, and their mouth is swollen. their doctor tells them to rinse their mouth with a warm saltwater solution every few hours. how does the saltwater solution help reduce the swelling in the student's mouth?

Answer 1

The warm saltwater solution reduces swelling in the student's mouth by drawing out excess fluid from the tissues through osmosis and improving blood circulation for faster healing.

Step-by-step explanation:

The warm saltwater solution helps reduce the swelling in the student's mouth due to its ability to draw out excess fluid from the tissues through a process called osmosis. When the saltwater solution is swished around the mouth, the salt concentration outside the cells is higher than inside the cells, causing water from the swollen tissues to move out and into the solution, thus reducing the swelling. Additionally, the warm temperature of the solution helps to improve blood circulation in the area, promoting faster healing.