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You’ve probably heard about Oil Pulling on Facebook or Pinterest but if you’ve never heard of it, let me fill you in. Wikipedia says “Oil pulling or oil swishing is a traditional folk remedy that involves swishing oil in the mouth.” It’s benefits are rumored to include:
- Whiter teeth, stronger gums, jaw & teeth along with decreased oral sensitivity
- Prevents cavities & gingivitis
- Helps get rid of acne, eczema, psoriasis & other skin problems
- Cures migraines and hangovers
- Clears sinuses
- Helps with sleep issues
- Helps with pain in general
Since I already had some [amazon_link id=”B00DQFT0LG” target=”_blank” ]LouAna Coconut oil[/amazon_link] in my cupboard from a recent review I figured I’d give it a try. Not much to lose, right? I was worried it would be super gross and gag-worthy but I was pleasantly surprised. I melted a spoonful of oil in the microwave and put it in my mouth and started swishing. From what I’ve read, you’re supposed to do this for 20 minutes. I only did it for 10. My allergies were preventing me from breathing very well through my nose which makes it quite difficult to breathe when you have a mouthful of oil. The oil I used doesn’t have any flavor at all and actually didn’t even seem to have a gross thick oil texture while swishing. It was almost like water. You can add an essential oil such as peppermint or Thieves which has oral benefits of its own to flavor your coconut oil. I can’t really report on the benefits since I’ve only tried it once. I have to say I’m pretty skeptical of the benefits aside from the oral ones. I do believe coconut oil could be helpful with skin conditions but only topically in my opinion. Swishing for 10 minutes didn’t clear my sinuses and I probably reversed any oral benefits by eating a cookie immediately afterwards but at least now I know that oil pulling with coconut oil is totally do-able! I’m might even continue this ritual for a few days — maybe I’ll become a believer too!
What do you thing about Oil Pulling? Do you believe the hype? Have you tried it yourself? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
I’ve been doing it for a few weeks now, and I’ve noticed a huge difference in some small cavities I have right at the gum line. They’re actually getting smaller–seriously! I still floss every day, and I brush with regular toothpaste at night. It’s crucial to do your pulling in the a.m., before you put anything (a sip of coffee, a bite of food, etc.) in your mouth, and working up to 20 minutes is important. You should also use a better quality oil, IMO. LouAna is okay for making popcorn, but it’s refined, and all the “good stuff” is stripped out. I use Nutiva virgin coconut oil.
Thanks for your feedback, Emily. I am not a morning person and am always in such a rush to get my kids and myself ready I don’t think I can add this to my morning routine. I wonder why 20 minutes in the magical number — I’ll have to try to work up to that, it just seems so long! 😉 Will also have to look into other oils — I didn’t realize this one didn’t have all of the benefits…Thanks again!