Yes, we are WAY behind the trend of oil pulling. If you are like us and didn’t really understand what the heck it was, you are not alone. We did our research, we conducted our experiments, and now we dedicate this blog post to the ins and outs of oil pulling.
We first heard about oil pulling from The Skinny Confidential here and were obsessed with finding out more.
What is oil pulling?
According to WellnessMama, “Oil pulling is an age-old remedy rooted in Ayurvedic medicine that uses natural substances to clean and detoxify teeth and gums. It has the added effect of whitening teeth naturally and evidence even shows that it may be beneficial for gum health and that certain oils may help fight harmful bacteria in the mouth!” Well, this sounded quite interesting to us… we wanted to whiten these babies up!
What are the benefits?
- Whiter teeth
- Stronger Teeth and Gums
- Can help clear sinus issues
- Better Breath
- Prevention of Cavities
- Prevention of Gingivitis
- Helps with hangovers
- Detoxification
- An overall healthier mouth!
What kind of oil do we use?
The Healthy Home Economist tested three types of oil on dental health; coconut oil, olive oil, and vegetable oil. They said, “of the three types of oil tested, only coconut oil was shown to prevent Streptococcus mutans, an acid-producing bacterium that is a common inhabitant of the mouth and a major cause of tooth decay, from binding to and damaging tooth enamel.” So clearly, we decided to test it out with room temperature raw, extra virgin and cold pressed coconut oil.
How long does it take?
Twenty minutes of swishing in your mouth on an empty stomach (uhhh that kind of a long time… but us moms can multi-task). However, we read that you can just start out in 5-minute increments if you get tired. The more you swish, the more bacteria you pull out of those teeth.
Tips:
- Do this in the morning before you eat anything then continue doing it the same time for as long as you can for up to two weeks (we’re aiming for one week)
- Do not swallow – we want these icky toxins out not in!
- If you have too much oil in your mouth, just spit a bit out
- Spit it out in the trash, oil will solidify and can clog your sink
- Swish gently… twenty minutes is a long time
- When done, brush and floss your teeth like you normally would
Leah’s Experience:
Day One:
Made it 10 minutes before I got a call from the hubby and had to spit it out. Of course, I spit it out into the sink because I forgot what I was swishing! It’s not horrible but the first initial reaction is that it is warm and gooey. I brushed my teeth and flossed right after.
Day Two:
Made it just under 10 minutes before Rosie started crying in her crib. Had to spit it out again but remembered to do it into the trash can so that is a win for me! This time was easier… probably because I knew what to expect.
Day Three/Four/Five:
I hit 20 minutes all three mornings! I was worried it was going to get more gross each day but I found it to be easier and easier. On day four I started noticing that my teeth looked whiter.
Day Six:
Only got 10 minutes in today. Rosie woke up and wanted breakfast so I swished as much as I could!
Day Seven:
Finished out the week with 20 minutes today.
*NOTES: Overall, I feel as though my teeth are cleaner and definitely a bit whiter. I took it upon myself to floss every day which I normally do not do so that may also have contributed to my teeth feeling cleaner. Tried taking progress photos but have you ever tried taking photos of your teeth up close and personal? First off, ew… and second off they pretty much ended up blurry every time UGH. I think I will continue to do this quarterly for my overall health. Hopefully, my dentist will notice the difference!
Julie’s Experience:
Day One:
Forgot to do it early in the morning due to a work call so I decided to do it at night after dinner and did it for 7 minutes. Not gonna lie… I gagged twice! It’s so thick and slimy! Hoping it gets easier.
Day Two:
15 Minutes in the books! I was on fire tonight (only gagged once)! I set a goal to make it 15 minutes and I did it. My mouth definitely got tired of swooshing but proud that I set a goal and accomplished it!
Day Three:
Brayden was a bit out of control so I only got to swish it around for 8 minutes since I had to use my mouth to yell 🙂
Day Four:
I was able to do 12 minutes today.
Day Five:
Today was my best day and I did a total of 17 minutes.
Day Six:
I made it 10 minutes in total.
Day Seven:
I finally made it to 20 minutes! I knew it was the last day so I had to reach that goal.
*NOTES: I thought it was gross and dreaded it every day – not going to lie. I am not a coconut oil fan in general, even when we cook with it so I definitely put it off every day until the evening because I was playing the avoidance technique. I do not see a difference in the color of my teeth… still look like I drink too much coffee on the daily. My teeth feel smoother and I had never thought about it or paid attention to it before this but they do feel cleaner. Like after a dentist visit. But, I also hate the dentist and while most people love how their teeth feel after a cleaning, I hate it haha! They just feel weird.
If you have done this before or are willing to give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes in the comments below!
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