What is Oil Pulling?
In short, Oil pulling is a very ancient Ayurvedic practice that originated in India. It involves swishing oil in your mouth to remove bacteria and promote good oral health. Now let's dive deeper into the history and practice.
Ayurveda, derived from the Sanskrit words ayur - translating to life, and veda - science or knowledge, together make the science of life. It is a traditional Indian system of holistic health treatment, in that the mind and body are linked and Ayurveda strives to create a balance between them. Oil Pulling is claimed to cure 30 systemic diseases in Charaka Samhita, a Ayurvedic text.
How does Oil Pulling work?
By pushing and pulling the oil around your mouth, it allows the oil to collect and trap bacteria in the oil. Bacteria is pulled from the oral tissue by sticking to the fat molecules of the oil, these are then flushed away by spitting out the oil.
Bacteria exists around the gums, pores and tubules within the teeth and in fact, our mouths contain over 600 species of bacteria, some of which are good bacteria but the rest you definitely don’t want around your teeth, tongue, soft tissue of the cheeks and palates, and tonsils.
We use Coconut Oil in our Oil Pulling product as it has the added benefit of lauric acid, which is well-known for its antimicrobial properties. Coconut oil also reduces inflammation so is very important for your gums.
Oil Pulling also stimulates saliva production, saliva supports remineralisation, it cleans your teeth and washes important minerals, such as calcium and phosphate, over your teeth, so in-turn Oil Pulling prevents tooth decay.
What are the benefits?
We’ve touched upon some benefits of Oil Pulling already, to recap:
- Oil Pulling prevents tooth decay by stimulating saliva which supports remineralisation.
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It pulls the bad bacteria out of your mouth, which helps fight against gingivitis, plaque (meaning whiter teeth), and microorganisms that cause bad breath.
- Coconut Oil has natural anti-inflammatory properties which help reduce gum sensitivity.
Bruce Fife, the author of ‘Oil pulling therapy’, suggests that Oil Pulling can also help with chronic fatigue, allergies, diabetes, asthma, and migraines. Further backing the point that the mind and body are connected and that Oil Pulling doesn’t just help your oral health.
How to oilpull ?
- Start by cleaning your teeth.
- Then use 1 tablespoon of oil (or use the lid as a measure).
- Put the oil in your mouth and swish and pull it through your teeth.
- When you first start oil pulling you should swish for around 5 minutes.
- You should then work up to around 20 minutes (until the oil has become thin white in colour).
- Spit the oil in a tissue or into the bin as you don’t want to clog your drains.
