A while back, I heard about something called oil pulling. I was intrigued by the concept. If you haven’t heard of it, this post will tell you my personal experience with it as well as how to do it so you can try it out yourself. I am a big believer in the benefits of oil pulling as I have had numerous dental issues in my life and this technique is both natural and beneficial and it is using one of my favorite natural healers; coconut oil.
The Benefits of Oil Pulling
What is Oil pulling?
Oil pulling is a technique that involves swishing around coconut oil for a certain period of time daily in order to reap the benefits of the oil’s natural ability to kill germs. Think of it like a natural mouthwash that helps your mouth feel and get clean. Oil pulling can also actually naturally whiten your teeth as well!
How Do You Do Oil Pulling?
First, place 1 tablespoon (when solid) of organic coconut oil in your mouth. Let it melt and swish it around like you would a mouthwash. You want to leave it in for about 15-20 minutes. This is because it needs some time to help break up the bacteria in your mouth and along your gum-line. After the time is up, spit it out. It should look sort of like milk when you do. This is because it will contain the bacteria and toxins that were released.
You don’t want to spit it in the sink as it can eventually clog up your system, so make sure you have a trash can nearby to spit into.
After you have spit, brush your teeth as normal and rinse well.
The Benefits of Oil Pulling
I have very sensitive teeth and I also have some that were starting to hurt as happens when you have some small cavities. I did the oil pulling for just a couple weeks and I noticed my teeth were a bit brighter, less sensitive and amazingly, the tiny aches I had in my mouth were almost non-existent. My husband has a large cavity in his mouth and did some oil pulling with me and it no longer hurts as much. This right here lets me know that this is very beneficial. I also noticed that my mouth felt cleaner than before. It was almost like a detox bath for my gums!
If you have a hard time imagining the swishing for 15 minutes, try doing it while you do something else to occupy your mind like reading the morning paper or watching a TV show. Coconut oil is thick, so it can take some time to get used to, but I think it is incredibly beneficial!
For more uses, check out my article on 30 uses for coconut oil!
Also, check out this post on how to save money on coconut oil.
Have you ever tried oil pulling? I would love to hear about your experiences!
