Oil Pulling
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may make a small commission if you choose to make a purchase.
Before starting this or any health regimen, check with your doctor or other health care provider.
What is it?
Oil Pulling refers to the use of some type of oil, such as coconut or sunflower, rinsed in the mouth for ten to twenty minutes each morning as a holistic oral health regime. As you will learn, Oil Pulling is a highly effective practice. Benefits include, but are not limited to, whitening teeth, strengthening teeth and gums, reducing plaque, and preventing cavities, bad breath, bleeding gums, and cracked lips. It may even help healthy tissue to regenerate from receding gums.
Where did it come from?
In the 1990s a Russian, Dr. F. Karach introduced Oil Pulling to modern culture. However, it is an ancient practice.
Oil Pulling is a staple of Ayurveda, traditional Indian medicine dating back 3000 years. Chewing sticks were first used for oral health. A variety of plants could be used, and folks would simply gnaw on a plant stem after meals to promote oral health. According to Ayurveda, each of us has an individual body type based on the predominance of one of three types, or “dashas”: Vata, pitta, or Kapha. Once a type is determined, treatment and health care are prescribed. For instance, one who is vata might chew on a licorice stem, while someone who is pitta might find more benefit from a mango branch.
If this sounds like hocus-pocus, let me remind you that “modern medicine” with its large pharma companies and drugstores on every corner pushing pills for every symptom and illness we can imagine is relatively new, developed over the last hundred years. Ayurveda is ancient but remains widely the basis for primary health care in many countries around the world. Traditional medicine is sought by many in both Eastern and Western cultures with annual revenue in the billions.
Today we know that the chewing sticks mentioned in texts dating back to 200 BC have both medicinal and anti-cavity properties. Those ancient people knew what they were doing!
Does It Work?
Recent studies have shown that Oil Pulling works in reducing bacteria that result in gum disease, bad breath, and many other oral health maladies. It is becoming more common in the Western world, and with good reason.
So I had to try it myself. A friend had begun the practice using coconut oil, and I could see that her teeth were whiter than I remembered, so I decided to purchase some coconut oil at the local health food market and give it a try. A large container, which I estimate will last me about 2-3 months, was 5.99. So far, so good.
I am not going to lie to you. The first couple of times I did it, I was a little put-off. It was foreign to me to be swishing a semi-solid lump of goo around in my mouth for twenty minutes. However, I persevered, and soon it became just another step in my morning routine. I usually do it as I am getting into the shower, then continue a few minutes after. I shoot for the full twenty minutes, and I do it nearly daily. I have read that some have found that ten to fifteen minutes, three to five days a week, works for them.
I noticed that my teeth were whiter within just a few days. Unfortunately, my teeth had yellowed with age, and that brightness that I enjoyed right after a twice-yearly cleaning at the dentist’s office quickly faded. However, once I started oil pulling, my teeth became whiter, and they stay white. Also, I have some gum issues, and since oil pulling became a part of my morning regimen, I swear my gums are healthier, do not bleed, and may even be growing more tissue!
Whether you decide to use coconut oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, or even olive oil, I think you will be delighted with the results.
I would love to hear from you regarding your experiences. Please take a moment to write me a note about your results so I can share with others who may wonder about Oil Pulling. Note: As with any new health regimen, please discuss oil pulling with your health care provider and/or dentist.
