This Why Everybody Is Obsessed With Oil Pulling

What is Oil Pulling?

One of the oldest folk remedies around is oil pulling. It has recently become much more popular, seeing a rise in popularity, especially on the internet where many sites are touting its ability to freshen breath and whiten teeth.

These age old medicine practice typically starts with a tablespoon of cold pressed sesame or sunflower oil, although some newer sites are saying that coconut oil is also good. This oil is then swished around in the mouth for about twenty minutes, pulling it through and around the teeth and gums. The oil is never swallowed and is spit out once the pulling is accomplished.

The purpose behind the oil pulling is to take the toxins, bacteria, germs, and other bad stuff from the mouth and into the oil. The plaque from the teeth adheres to the oil and the oil actually turns a milky color as it swishes around through the mouth. The pulling is supposed to be done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and before brushing the teeth. This is because the pulling will have maximum impact on all germs, microbes, bacteria, etc. and do the most cleaning and whitening if done then.

There are some who swear that pulling not only cleans and freshens the mouth, but also provides a bevy of other health benefits. The claims include that the swishing of the oil activates enzymes which draw out toxins, even toxins located in the blood. The oil swishing revs up the body’s metabolism which in turn helps improve an individual’s health. The pulling can fix loose teeth, help to eliminate bleeding gums, and visibly whiten teeth. There are even claims that oil pulling can help extend the life span.

The Real Benefits Of Oil Pulling

At any time, there are probably 500 or more types of bacteria in the mouth. Some are good and some are not. These are what cause the colorless, sticky film on the teeth that is known as plaque and which the start of many health problems is. Mineral salts in saliva combine with plaque to form the hard deposits known as calculus or tartar. These deposits cannot be removed by brushing alone. Plaque will often build up on the gum line and then more bacteria will accumulate between the teeth and gums. The toxins produced by the bacteria will irritate the gums and they will become red and inflamed (gingivitis). When this happens, the gums may separate from the teeth creating spaces between the gums and the teeth where infections may occur.

If these infections become chronic, the bones and tissues surrounding the teeth may break down and eventually be destroyed. This is periodontitis. When this happens, it can literally become life-threatening contributing to other diseases including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s, respiratory illness, and heart disease.

A bacterial infection in the mouth can spread throughout the body. Every time an individual swallows they send that bacteria into their digestive tract and blood stream leading to an infection throughout their system. Oil pulling can help kill the bacteria within the pockets and stop this flow of bad bacteria into the body. This can result in an overall improvement to an individual’s health.

How It Really Works

Pulling or swishing oil works because it kills the bacteria in the pockets around the teeth and gums. Here’s how it does it:

It is essential that the pulling session lasts the full twenty minutes. The studies show this time is critical to allow the oil to seep deep down into the pockets. The extended time period allows the antibacterial properties of the oil to make its way to the bacteria where they are and kill them.

The studies show that both sesame and sunflower oils are very effective at killing bacteria. They also have anti-inflammatory properties which help with inflamed gums.

The swishing back and forth and up and down of the oils across the gums and tongue helps push the oil into the pockets around the gums and teeth. It should not hurt to do this and the mouth should not get tired, but it does need to force the oil down into these pockets. This is also why it is important to keep at it for the twenty minutes.

The texture of the oil is one of the important factors because it helps it seep down into the nooks and crannies of the mouth to get at the bacteria where it dwells.

Directions:

1. First thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything, including water
2. 1 tablespoon of sesame or sunflower oil and swish for twenty minutes. The time is important. Do it for much less than twenty minutes and it is not effective; do it for much longer and there is a chance of taking the toxins and bacteria back into the body.
3. The oil should turn from clear and thick to thin and milky
4. Swish the oil across the mouth, between the teeth and across the gums. Hit the soft palate and cheeks. Force the oil into the nooks and crannies.
5. Do not swallow or gargle the oil. Do not ingest the bacteria or toxins in the oil.
6. When finished, spit out the oil.
7. Rinse with water, gargle, and repeat.
8. Scrape the tongue.
9. Brush the teeth and use a mouthwash, if necessary
10. Do this daily for 40-50 days, then as desired.

There are a few other things that can be done to tweak the oil pulling to make it even more effective

• For every eight ounce bottle of sunflower or sesame oil, add a ¼ teaspoon of limonene oil. Limonene oil has a very dense electromagnetic field which makes it a very potent natural solvent. It is also strongly anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. It also helps transport things through the skin so can help carry the oil to the gum pockets. It is made from citrus though so if allergic to citrus, this will not be an option.
• For every eight ounce bottle of sunflower or sesame oil used, add a teaspoon of tea tree oil. Studies show that tea tree oil is very effective against many oral bacteria which is why tea tree oil is now in many oral hygiene products.
• The best type of sesame and sunflower oils seem to be unrefined, organic, cold pressed oils. These have the most anecdotal evidence of success with this method.
• Using a tongue scraper also seems to improve the chances of success as well. This should always be done after oil pulling or swishing and brushing will just not completely remove the oil.

Oil pulling will help maintain a healthy smile and an overall sense of good health and well-being.