Since my most recent post on coconut oil, I've actually had three people ask if I've ever heard of oil-pulling. The answer is yes, and I actually forgot to mention it in my last post! Oil-pulling is something I do every single day.
This post explains what oil-pulling is, and what its benefits are.
Ok, so what is oil-pulling? And how exactly does one pull oil? According to wellnessmama.com, here's a rough definition:
"Oil pulling is an ancient Indian [practice] that uses natural substances to clean and detoxify teeth and gums. It has the added effect of whitening teeth naturally and evidence even shows that it is beneficial in improving gums and removing harmful bacteria."
The concept behind oil-pulling is to first choose a good quality oil like organic coconut oil, sunflower, or sesame oil. Each morning, before you rinse your mouth out, swish a tablespoon of the oil around in your mouth as you would with mouthwash. When first starting off with oil-pulling, you may only be able to tolerate this for 3-5 minutes at a time. Its optimal benefits come from extended oil pulling, however, lasting roughly from 10-20 minutes a day. In order to successfully oil-pull, you will want to suck it through your teeth and keep the oil moving as much as possible. You can oil-pull while showering first thing in the morning, or while checking your email for the day. Afterward, spit the oil into the trash or an allotted container. It isn't ideal to spit the oil into the toilet or sink, because oil can be very hard to clean up.
Ok, so now that you know how to oil-pull, the question remains -
Why would someone want to oil-pull?
The science behind oil-pulling is interesting and empirical. Oil is viscous, and it sticks to things. As such, when the oil is distributed throughout the mouth, it will cling to bacteria and toxins, pulling, or releasing them from the mouth and into the oil, itself. The key is to pull for the optimal amount of time so that the oil can do its job - 15 to 20 minutes. The oil will get into places between teeth that toothbrushes cannot go, as well as down into the gums to pull out bacteria. Oil-pulling is starting to gain an interest from some of the medical community, because dentists have seen successes with their patients following this practice.
Check here and here. These two medical articles address the successes of oil-pulling as related to halitosis [chronic bad breath], and Streptococcus. Both were shown to decrease with the practice of oil-pulling, versus the traditional [and highly less-effective] practice of conventional mouthwash.
Still not convinced that oil-pulling might be worth your time?
Here's a list of what oil-pulling might do for you:
Strengthens tooth enamel
Fortifies gums
Effectively cleans gums leading to reduction of Gingivitis
Prevents dry mouth and throat
Natural treatment for TMJ [Lock Jaw]
Can reduce acne by removing toxins from body
Reduces cavities
Absorption of oil can lead to healthier skin, nails, and hair
Removes bacteria and eliminates Halitosis
Reduces tooth sensitivity
I started oil-pulling last summer, and I can say with confidence that it's worked for me. Prior to oil-pulling, I had a cavity at every dentist appointment, suffered from Gingivitis [bleeding gums], and needed to use Sensodyne for severe tooth sensitivity. Since I've continued with oil-pulling, I've stopped using Sensodyne, and had zero cavities at my last appointment! That was huge for me. I would no longer say that I am someone who suffers from tooth sensitivity, or have an issue with hot and cold foods.
If you choose to start oil-pulling, you must be made aware of the detoxifying stage at the very beginning. As with every regimen that removes bacteria and toxins from the system, your body may respond strangely as it gets accustomed to its "new normal". Ironically, for me, my tooth sensitivity got worse the first week of oil-pulling, and I actually considered stopping it altogether. I assumed something was wrong, but the opposite was actually true.
Once I pushed through the first week, my tooth sensitivity started disappearing, and I really started to reap the benefits of this practice. The first thing I noticed after the reduction in issues with hot and cold was much fresher breath. My mouth felt a lot cleaner than it used to, which is obviously a great thing. Some people can experience headaches, or other such detox symptoms, but none of them are intolerable. It's certainly worth pushing through the first week to see what oil-pulling will do for you, personally.
A few important things to remember about oil-pulling:
1) Remember to get good-quality oil. It's recommended to get cold-pressed oils, in contrast to canola or vegetable, which are processed with very high heats, breaking them down into unhealthy chemicals. 2) Never swallow the oil that you have pulled with - Once the toxins leave your mouth and enter the oil, the oil itself is riddled with bacteria, and should stay far away from the digestive tract. Simply spit the oil out after you've finished with it, and rinse with warm water before moving on with your daily routine. Remove as much of the oil as possible from your mouth. 3) Oil-pulling will get MUCH easier. I used to set an alarm for 5 minutes, and it felt like eternity. I remember thinking, "I'll never get used to this." But now I can pull for 15 minutes without much of an interruption to my morning. Just let your family know what you're doing, and get ready to do your best charades if communication is necessary. :) And lastly, 4) Stick with it! Don't give up inside of a week's time. Push through it, and see what oil-pulling will change for you. Isn't it worth avoiding those awful cavities, or having to be self-conscious about your bad breath all the time? If I had given up at the first sign of worsening tooth sensitivity, I never would have reaped the benefits of continued fresher breath and the avoidance of my pesky cavities. And I'd still have discomfort with very hot and very cold foods.
I know oil-pulling sounds odd, but mouth-washing is the same concept, just much less effective. Mouthwash, in my humble opinion, is a waste of time and money, and can actually be hazardous to your health. The alcohol in mouthwash can worsen dry mouth, and the dyes and flavors added are simply bad for your body.
So, do you oil-pull? Would you consider trying it?
To health, happiness, and good stewardship!
This post explains what oil-pulling is, and what its benefits are.
Ok, so what is oil-pulling? And how exactly does one pull oil? According to wellnessmama.com, here's a rough definition:
"Oil pulling is an ancient Indian [practice] that uses natural substances to clean and detoxify teeth and gums. It has the added effect of whitening teeth naturally and evidence even shows that it is beneficial in improving gums and removing harmful bacteria."
The concept behind oil-pulling is to first choose a good quality oil like organic coconut oil, sunflower, or sesame oil. Each morning, before you rinse your mouth out, swish a tablespoon of the oil around in your mouth as you would with mouthwash. When first starting off with oil-pulling, you may only be able to tolerate this for 3-5 minutes at a time. Its optimal benefits come from extended oil pulling, however, lasting roughly from 10-20 minutes a day. In order to successfully oil-pull, you will want to suck it through your teeth and keep the oil moving as much as possible. You can oil-pull while showering first thing in the morning, or while checking your email for the day. Afterward, spit the oil into the trash or an allotted container. It isn't ideal to spit the oil into the toilet or sink, because oil can be very hard to clean up.
Ok, so now that you know how to oil-pull, the question remains -
Why would someone want to oil-pull?
The science behind oil-pulling is interesting and empirical. Oil is viscous, and it sticks to things. As such, when the oil is distributed throughout the mouth, it will cling to bacteria and toxins, pulling, or releasing them from the mouth and into the oil, itself. The key is to pull for the optimal amount of time so that the oil can do its job - 15 to 20 minutes. The oil will get into places between teeth that toothbrushes cannot go, as well as down into the gums to pull out bacteria. Oil-pulling is starting to gain an interest from some of the medical community, because dentists have seen successes with their patients following this practice.
Check here and here. These two medical articles address the successes of oil-pulling as related to halitosis [chronic bad breath], and Streptococcus. Both were shown to decrease with the practice of oil-pulling, versus the traditional [and highly less-effective] practice of conventional mouthwash.
Still not convinced that oil-pulling might be worth your time?
Here's a list of what oil-pulling might do for you:
Strengthens tooth enamel
Fortifies gums
Effectively cleans gums leading to reduction of Gingivitis
Prevents dry mouth and throat
Natural treatment for TMJ [Lock Jaw]
Can reduce acne by removing toxins from body
Reduces cavities
Absorption of oil can lead to healthier skin, nails, and hair
Removes bacteria and eliminates Halitosis
Reduces tooth sensitivity
I started oil-pulling last summer, and I can say with confidence that it's worked for me. Prior to oil-pulling, I had a cavity at every dentist appointment, suffered from Gingivitis [bleeding gums], and needed to use Sensodyne for severe tooth sensitivity. Since I've continued with oil-pulling, I've stopped using Sensodyne, and had zero cavities at my last appointment! That was huge for me. I would no longer say that I am someone who suffers from tooth sensitivity, or have an issue with hot and cold foods.
If you choose to start oil-pulling, you must be made aware of the detoxifying stage at the very beginning. As with every regimen that removes bacteria and toxins from the system, your body may respond strangely as it gets accustomed to its "new normal". Ironically, for me, my tooth sensitivity got worse the first week of oil-pulling, and I actually considered stopping it altogether. I assumed something was wrong, but the opposite was actually true.
Once I pushed through the first week, my tooth sensitivity started disappearing, and I really started to reap the benefits of this practice. The first thing I noticed after the reduction in issues with hot and cold was much fresher breath. My mouth felt a lot cleaner than it used to, which is obviously a great thing. Some people can experience headaches, or other such detox symptoms, but none of them are intolerable. It's certainly worth pushing through the first week to see what oil-pulling will do for you, personally.
A few important things to remember about oil-pulling:
1) Remember to get good-quality oil. It's recommended to get cold-pressed oils, in contrast to canola or vegetable, which are processed with very high heats, breaking them down into unhealthy chemicals. 2) Never swallow the oil that you have pulled with - Once the toxins leave your mouth and enter the oil, the oil itself is riddled with bacteria, and should stay far away from the digestive tract. Simply spit the oil out after you've finished with it, and rinse with warm water before moving on with your daily routine. Remove as much of the oil as possible from your mouth. 3) Oil-pulling will get MUCH easier. I used to set an alarm for 5 minutes, and it felt like eternity. I remember thinking, "I'll never get used to this." But now I can pull for 15 minutes without much of an interruption to my morning. Just let your family know what you're doing, and get ready to do your best charades if communication is necessary. :) And lastly, 4) Stick with it! Don't give up inside of a week's time. Push through it, and see what oil-pulling will change for you. Isn't it worth avoiding those awful cavities, or having to be self-conscious about your bad breath all the time? If I had given up at the first sign of worsening tooth sensitivity, I never would have reaped the benefits of continued fresher breath and the avoidance of my pesky cavities. And I'd still have discomfort with very hot and very cold foods.
I know oil-pulling sounds odd, but mouth-washing is the same concept, just much less effective. Mouthwash, in my humble opinion, is a waste of time and money, and can actually be hazardous to your health. The alcohol in mouthwash can worsen dry mouth, and the dyes and flavors added are simply bad for your body.
So, do you oil-pull? Would you consider trying it?
To health, happiness, and good stewardship!