Oil pulling is where you use coconut oil as you would a mouthwash and some people swear by it. Below we are going to go through how to do oil pulling with coconut oil.
Oil pulling is said to improve your oral health massively, whiten the teeth and make your breath fresher.
How Does Oil Pulling Work?
Oil pulling has been used for thousands of years as an Indian folk remedy. Traditionally, the Indians used oils like sesame oil or sunflower oil.
In order to oil pull, you put about half a tablespoon of oil in your mouth, then swish it around for 15-20 minutes. Doing this reduces the amounts of harmful bacteria in the mouth.
There are thousands of different types of bacteria in the mouth. Some of them are friendly, others are not so.
The bacteria in the mouth create a “biofilm” on the teeth – a thin layer they use to adhere to the surface. This is what we know as “plaque.”
Having some plaque on your teeth is normal, however, if it gets out of hand it can cause all sorts of problems, including bad breath, yellow teeth, gum inflammation, gingivitis and cavities.
The way oil pulling works is simple. When you swish the oil around your mouth, the bacteria “get caught up” in the melted or warm oil and they simply dissolve in the liquid oil.
Basically, you remove a large amount of the bacteria and plaque in your mouth each time you do this.
Coconut Oil for Oil Pulling
Oil pulling should work with pretty much any oil you choose however, coconut oil is especially good because it has many added health benefits.
The Lauric Acid (one of the fatty acids in coconut oil) is proven to be anti-microbial… it can kill bacteria, viruses and fungi.
The taste of coconut oil is better compared to other oils. It can be a bit unpleasant at first having a mouth full of oil, but you get used to it after a few days.
Oil Pulling Can Reduce Plaque and Gingivitis
Gingivitis is caused by inflammation of the gums and happens when the immune system starts attacking the bacteria in the plaque.
One study compared oil pulling and chlorhexidine in adolescents with plaque-induced gingivitis. Both oil pulling and chlorhexidine mouthwash were effective against gingivitis.
How to Oil Pull
Oil pulling is incredibly simple and effective.
Here’s how to do it:
- Put about a heaped teaspoon of solid coconut oil in your mouth or a tablespoon of liquid oil. If using solid coconut oil you may have to chew on it for a minute or so to let it melt because this oil is solid at room temperature.
- Swish the oil around your mouth for about 15-20 minutes.
- Spit out the oil, after spitting the oil out, brush your teeth.
If you don’t like the idea of the taste of coconut oil, try a flavoured one.
Do you do oil pulling? Have you found it effective? Please let us know in the comments below.
You may wish to read the books below:
Hi,
I have been oil-pulling for a couple of years now and I haven’t had a cavity for that long. Every time I go for my routine dental visit, my dentist always tells me my gums, teeth, and mouth are in excellent health and he encourages me to continue doing what I’m doing.
I agree, I have been doing oil pulling for several years. Very little plaque build up is on my teeth.