What Is Oil Pulling?

What Is Coconut Oil Pulling?

Oil pulling is rapidly becoming the most popular detox method in the health community today.

People everywhere are swearing by this simple method for improving not only dental health, but many other health benefits such as eliminating headaches and arthritis, diminishing sinus problems, assisting with allergies and skin conditions, and many more. Some people are even claiming that oil pulling provides significant weight loss. Wow!

Is all of this true? When you tally up all the possible benefits of oil pulling, it sounds like some sort of miracle cure for a wide variety of physical ailments. Maybe it’s worth trying out on your end to see if these benefits are within the realm of possibility for you.

I personally like to use oil pulling with coconut oil for dental and oral hygiene purposes.

What Is Oil pulling with Coconut Oil?

(Coconut) Oil pulling is an Ayurvedic technique that has become huge in western culture and beyond over the past few years.

How to Do Oil Pulling

Oil pulling works simply by taking roughly a tablespoon of oil and swishing it around in your mouth for anywhere from five to 30 minutes, then spitting it out in the garbage (not the sink), and brushing your teeth afterwards.

Benefits of Oil Pulling

In fairly short order, the dental benefits of oil pulling are (backed by research):

• destroys bacteria in your mouth
• reduces plaque and gingivitis
• improves bad breath
• strengthens teeth
• prevents dry mouth
• wards off cavities

Other non-dental health benefits of oil pulling are (backed by claims):

• relieves headaches
• improves skin conditions including acne and eczema
• reduces sinus congestion
• pain relief
• detoxification
• allergy relief
• sleep aid
• reduces bodily inflammation

*Note that these non-dental benefits are not backed by research, rather many have simply noted these benefits.

Best Oil to Use in Oil Pulling

In studies, sesame oil indeed has the best results for killing bacteria and some will tell you that virgin sesame oil or sunflower oil is the way to go however, because avoiding industrial seed and vegetable oils is important to our health, coconut oil may be a better choice for oil pulling.

Further, coconut oil also contains antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and enzymatic qualities that combine to pack a formidable punch. And when it comes to taste, coconut oil is definitely the best way to go.

Seeing Results

Your experiences with oil pulling may vary, but if you’re someone who pays attention to the latest research, you’ll notice that most of the studies revolve around the dental benefits of oil pulling. This is one area in which you are pretty much guaranteed to see positive results.

Lastly, the benefits don’t last forever so oil pulling is something one would engage in on a regular basis to maintain benefits.

Will you try coconut oil pulling? What is your experience with oil pulling? Leave a comment below!