Guide To Coconut Oil Pulling: How-To and Benefits

As you may know by now, we believe in whole body wellness...

It's easy to dismiss folk medicine as woo woo, but science has started catching up to the methods behind folk wisdom.

Take the Ayurvedic tradition of oil pulling, a traditional Indian folk remedy for preventing any kind of mouth disease.

How To Perform Oil Pulling

While it sounds unappealing – – think swishing with a tablespoon of coconut oil for 20 minutes.

I usually do it while in shower... but for demonstration purposes, as you can see... I am not in the shower...lol.

Two studies confirm what the ancient Ayurvedic practitioners knew all along.

Use coconut oil. While you can get the same bacteria-fighting benefits with sesame or sunflower oil, coconut oil has the added benefit of lauric acid, which is well-known for its anti-microbial agents, making it more effective.

Swirling it around in the mouth for sometime, pulls harmful bacteria, fungus and other organisms out of the mouth, teeth and gums.

Fungal overgrowth, we're coming for you!

The Benefits Of Oil Pulling

• Kills harmful bacteria in the mouth
• Reduces bad breath
• Prevents cavities
• Reduces inflammation and improves gum
• Whitens teeth

Still skeptical?

Research suggests that oil pulling has benefits for gingivitis and works as a protection against bacteria and plaque.

Oil pulling induces a particular Alchemy. The oils mix with saliva, turning it into a thin white liquid, similar to the process of saponification. Acting like a soapy agent, lipids in the oils begin to pull out toxins from the saliva.

Eventually, the oil/saliva mixture becomes thick and vicious and white. Once the oil has reached this consistency, spit it out – swallowing the oil is tantamount to retoxing.

Spit it out into a garbage can, not the sink or shower drain, since it could eventually solidify (especially in the winter) and block the sink.

Follow by rinsing with warm water then brush teeth... and voila - - a spa treatment for your mouth in the privacy of your own home.

Don't skip brushing and flossing. Oil pulling should never replace routine dental visits and traditional home oral care. It doesn't reverse the effects of tooth decay, but it's a great supplemental therapy.

Some practitioners claim oil pulling has other benefits, such as curing hangovers, correcting hormone imbalances or reducing insomnia... so you can test that out...

Make it a new habit and discover the perks for yourself.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

1. A. Panthong, P. Khonsung, and S. Intahphuak. 29 Dec 2009; Pages 151-157. Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities of virgin coconut oil

2. Vagish Kumar L. Shanbhag. 2017 Jan; 7(1): 106–109. Oil pulling for maintaining oral hygiene