Oil Pulling for Oral Health
Do you oil pull?
I have heard so many great things about oil pulling so I tried a few years back to start but failed to make it a habit. I think the thing I struggle with the most is to remember to do it before I come downstairs in the morning (it's supposed to be done on an empty stomach). If I forget and have my morning coffee first then I have to wait for the next day to try again making it hard to create a habit without consistency. So I'm going to give it another try and am keeping my supplies downstairs by the coffee pot instead of in my bathroom! See! Where there's a will there's a way!
Why Start?
So why bother with the hassle of starting a new habit now? I get older oral health is more and more important to me. My dental visits seem to show that my teeth aren't as resilient as they used to be and I've had more dental work in recent years than I care to have in my future! So right now I'm definitely interested in anything that can prevent time and/or pain in the dentist chair!
What Are the Benefits?
Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic practice said to draw toxins out of your body and disinfect your mouth and gums without the harsh chemicals contained in many common over the counter solutions. It is also said to be a very good natural teeth whitener and helps prevent cavities.
How Is It Done?
Coconut oil is most commonly used as it is more palatable in the realm of taste but it does take some getting used to the texture since it's a solid at room temperature. It is recommended to swish the oil in your mouth for 10-20 minutes and I found that 20 minutes at first was very difficult to do. I was so surprised at how tired my cheeks were! So I have been doing just 10 minutes to start but I have heard some people say that the full 15-20 minutes isn't really necessary to enjoy the benefits. If you can't handle the texture of coconut oil you can also use fractionated coconut oil (it's in a liquid state). I get mine HERE
When you are done pulling make sure to spit the oil into the garbage can not the sink. Oil in your drains over time can cause build up and then an unexpected plumbing bill! I'm not a fan of the greasy feeling that my mouth has after I'm done pulling so I also keep some baking soda with my supplies and do a short baking soda and water rinse after. It does the trick and leaves my mouth feeling normal again.
How About You?
I'm interested in hearing from you if this is something you are doing. I know a lot of people swear by this practice. I can't say I've done it consistently enough to enjoy all of the benefits yet but I'm definitely working on making this a part of my regular routine. If you do it and you love it let me know how long it took for you to see the benefits for yourself and if you found it worth the effort!
