Oil Pulling
Oil pulling is now back in vogue – or maybe it never really went away considering it is a 3,000 year old Ayurvedic remedy for oral health and detoxification.
Oral health is crucial to your overall health – so why not give it a go. It may take a little getting used to but it sure beats spending time and money in a dentists chair.
Oil pulling is simply using an oil in your mouth to “pull” harmful bacteria and fungus out of your mouth, teeth and gums. The original oil in oil pulling was Sesame oil but you could also use Coconut or Sunflower or Olive oil. Oil pulling is an easy, inexpensive and non-invasive way to care for your mouth. It is an effective mechanical method of cleansing your teeth and the smallest crevices along your molars that the bristles of your toothbrush can’t reach. Bacteria is the root cause of bad breath and cavity formation in your teeth and research demonstrates that oil pulling improves the breakdown of bacterial membranes. According to Dr.Mercola the best oil to use is coconut oil since it is found inhibit Streptococcus mutans, the chief bacteria responsible for cavities. Coconut oil also protects against yeast infections in the mouth – often referred to as thrush. To bump it up a notch further I add one drop of the essential oil – oil of oregano. Oil of oregano has powerful antifungal and antimicrobial properties.
How To Oil Pull:
Place a tablespoon of high quality organic cold pressed oil into your mouth and swish it around and pull through your teeth for 15-20 minutes. The ideal time is first thing in the morning before you have eaten. The idea is to swish, pull, and chew the oil to get toxins out of your mouth. When you have pulled for a long enough time you will notice that the oil gets thicker and milky white. For this reason – do not swallow the oil – it is now full of toxins- spit it out. I think it is better to spit in the garbage so you don’t clog drains.
After oil pulling rinse with warm water – you can chose to add ½ teaspoon of sea salt and baking soda. Then brush teeth and gums and tongue with salt and baking soda. This will alkalize the pH of your mouth discouraging the growth of bacteria – which thrive in an acidic environment.
Natural toothpaste: clean your teeth with olive oil and pure bicarbonate of soda. Dip toothbrush into olive oil first and then bicarbonate of soda