Last week, I began a practice called oil pulling. Simply put, oil pulling is when you use a type of oil orally in your mouth for health purposes. The oil is swished around your mouth and is used to “pull” things out of your body, like toxins. It can also help with oral health—whiter teeth, healthier gums, cavities, jaw pain, and plaque and tartar buildup. It can also help fight bad breath.
After reading this blog post a few weeks ago, I decided to give oil pulling a shot. I am using coconut oil because it comes in a solid and dissolves easily. It also has a more pleasant taste and is lighter than some other oils being used. People also use sesame seed oil and sunflower oil to oil pull as well.
This is how oil pulling works:
- You put a teaspoon of the oil in your mouth, then swish for 15-20 minutes
- You do not swallow the oil
- Once oil swishing is completed, you spit out the oil in a plastic bag (or trash) because it can clog your pipes
- Rinse mouth with warm salt water and brush teeth
- Use organic coconut oil only. You can also use sesame oil, olive oil, or sunflower oil (think vegetable based)
This can be done as part of your morning routine. I do it in the morning while doing chores. 20 minutes seems like a long time, but I am so busy in the morning that the time goes by very fast.
Oil Swishing (quick 10 second video I made)
I have been oil pulling for a week (or 8 days) and I see noticeable differences in my teeth. They are whiter, and my gums look healthier. My face is also smoother and looks radiant. I have experienced adult acne before and have had my share of breakouts, especially during that time of the month. Now that I have been oil pulling, my skin is clearer and also less oily.
There isn’t any scientific evidence (at least none that I have seen) that shows that oil pulling rids the body of toxins. But there are millions of people who swear by oil pulling—many people have experienced the results I just shared and many other positives. Some people say they sleep better when they oil pull. Some have even lost weight. According to some blog posts I’ve read about oil pulling, it can help with inflammatory issues.
Oil pulling is a natural practice that has been used for centuries. For many, it is a natural way to help the body expel bacteria and other toxins that can hamper overall health. Since I started oil pulling, I’ve had so many people say that they’ve been oil pulling for years. When I first started hearing about oil pulling, I thought it was a new fad people were doing, but it looks like I am the one who was on the “late show”.
Should you oil pull? I say YES! It won’t hurt you, and it could give you much needed benefits. I can tell you that after each time I oil pull, my mouth and teeth feel dentist clean. That alone is a reason why I will continue doing it. That is a feeling that I personally enjoy.
Want to learn more about oil pulling and read about others’ experiences? Join our Oil Pulling Facebook Group. Ask questions, report your findings, and so much more. Click here to join.
Interesting! Thanks for sharing your experience. I have wanted to try oil pulling but heard if you have fillings, it could make the fillings come out, or the metal in the fillings could leach out. I’m sure there aren’t any studies on that, so I guess no one knows!
That is a very good question, Holly. I don’t have any fillings so never did research in regards to that. But it would make sense for that to happen. Maybe it can be done, but not for 20 minutes, perhaps a shorter time period? In any event, thanks for reading and commenting. I will try to do some research on the fillings and see what I find.
My hubby’s been doing it and but using olive oil (only because it’s what we had) and said it was ok. I’m interested in trying but think I’ll do a bit more research with the dentist in regards to my fillings. But all in all, anything healthy for the body, I am for! Thanks for the share girl 🙂
Certainly, Lala. I never thought of the fillings until the previous commenter brought it up. I’ve heard pulling with olive oil too—I think any oil that is vegetable based would work. I think coconut is more appealing to me because of the taste factor. Let me know if you start trying it. 🙂
Starting about 2 years ago, I stopped buying Listerine and started using the 99 cent hydrogen peroxide as a mouth wash. My mouth always feels squeaky clean like after a dentist visit. However, since I’ve been oil pulling for the past 4 days, that squeaky clean feeling has been taken to a whole different level! Thank you so much for putting the word out about oil pulling on Facebook about your oil pulling group. I have never heard of oil pulling before then and I have learned so much about it and look forward to awesome results as well.
Oh, yay! Another oil pulling fan! I feel you on the clean mouth feeling. That alone keeps me pulling everyday. That’s the type of clean that you usually only get when going to the dentist. I am such a fan now. Hoping to continue to see more results too 🙂
I’ve been loving it so far. You gave me the inspiration to start. I love how my mouth feels after, I’m only on day 3 so I can’t really say how the results are. Looking forward to reaching a week!
Je Tuan, keep it up. There are many benefits after pulling for awhile. I also notice I have an extra pep in my step too energy wise since I’ve been pulling. Wish I had’ve started sooner. 🙂