June 03, 2017

Benefits of Oil Pulling

 

 

 Looking for more reasons to love coconut oil? You’ve come to the right place. Not only is it an amazing oil to cook with, works wonders for our hair, but it’s also a great addition to your oral care routine. Allow me to introduce you to (or refresh your memory of) oil pulling.

Basically, you take a tablespoon of solid coconut oil and swish it around in your mouth for 20 minutes each day. Why would anyone want to do this? Coconut oil is a jack-of-all-trades, health-wise. In oral care, it’s been proven to whiten teeth, pick up bacteria lurking in your mouth and get in between teeth to loosen plaque better than a toothbrush or mouthwash can. I’m not saying you should skip brushing in favor of this method, but it helps your toothbrush do an even better job afterwards. Coconut oil can greatly improve your overall oral health.

Coconut oil is antibacterial and may even kill bacteria that causes cavities. It’s able to reach under the gums, fighting bacteria in areas where mouthwash may not be able to reach. Regular oil pulling causes fresher breath, decreased plaque and gum swelling, and many people say their gums and teeth feel much more clean than from brushing alone.   

If you’re just starting out, try a smaller amount of coconut oil and swish it around for a shorter period of time, then work your way up. 20 minutes is recommended because it’s just enough time for the oil to remove plaque and bacteria but not enough time for the them to reabsorb back into your mouth.  It takes some getting used to, for sure. But there’s such a great impact on the health of your mouth that it’s definitely worth trying.

To make this method even easier, you can make oil tablets ahead of time and store them in the fridge. So all you’d have to do is pop one tablet (or half) out in the morning. Chew it to help the oil melt, then begin swishing as you start getting ready for the day (make some tea, meditate, a little yoga…). After you’re done swishing, spit out the oil into a trash can, then brush your teeth as normal, using a natural toothpaste. You will need:

A silicone candy mold

½ cup coconut oil

Optional essential oils: peppermint or clove

 

Step one: Place the candy mold on a cookie sheet. Trust me, it makes transferring the mold into the fridge much easier

Step two: Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat

Step three: Pour the oil into the mold

Step four: add a drop of essential oil into each well, if using

Step five: transfer to the fridge, chill until solid.

Step six: Pop the tablets out of the mold and store in a glass jar in the fridge

 Bonus: add the power of turmeric to whiten teeth! Yes, the spice that gives a beautiful golden color and stains just about everything can actually remove stains from your teeth. Make a paste of 1 tablespoon each of coconut oil and turmeric. Apply to your teeth and allow to sit for 5 minutes. I’d recommend placing a towel under your chin since this mixture will drip as the oil melts. Spit into a trash can, rinse your mouth and then brush. Now you’ll have an instantly brighter smile! Try this daily for a week for maximum results. Keep smiling!

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