In conversation with someone recently, I was presented with a term I had never heard of before. Called oil pulling, the person I was speaking with recommended it to me because I was telling them about how I’ve recently started to have some issues with my own teeth in the context of staining.
I was told that coconut oil is typically used for oil pulling, and, in essence, the practice is used to whiten teeth and lift deeply embedded stains from them. I was absolutely curious and wanted to explore the technique more, so the following information comes from healthline.com.
“Oil pulling involves swishing oil around the mouth like a mouthwash. It has been used for thousands of years as an Indian folk remedy. The main benefit of oil pulling is that it reduces the amount of harmful bacteria in the mouth.
“The way oil pulling works is simple — when you swish the oil around your mouth, the bacteria get swept away and dissolve in the liquid oil. Oil pulling should work with almost any oil, but extra-virgin coconut oil is a popular choice due to its pleasant taste. It also has a favorable fatty acid profile, containing high amounts of lauric acid, which has antimicrobial properties.
“Using coconut oil as a mouthwash can significantly reduce the number of harmful bacteria, such as S. mutans, in your mouth. Oil pulling with coconut oil may help reduce inflammation of the gums, also known as gingivitis.
“To try oil pulling:
- Put about 1 tbsp (15 mL) of oil in your mouth
- Swish the oil around your mouth for about 15–20 minutes
- Spit out the oil, then brush your teeth
“It’s best to spit the oil onto a piece of paper and put it in the trash, as it might otherwise clog your pipes over time,” the web page explains.
There ya have it, friends.
Photo by Lesly Juarez on Unsplash
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