Oil Pulling

Mentioned in Ayurvedic medicine, Oil pulling is the act of swishing one teaspoon of oil throughout your mouth for 15 minutes first thing in the morning. It is like a natural mouth wash. It is mentioned in the Ayurvedic text “Charaka Samhita” (3000BC) and refered to as “kavala graham”.

Oil pulling has been reported to cure these following issues: Teeth and gum problems; including toothache, loose teeth, bleeding gums, and yellow discoloration. Allergies. Asthma. Back pain. Arthritis and joint pains, Skin problems, including eczema. Ulcers. Digestive problems. Insomnia. And more.

Studies have shown that after just 45 days of oil pulling plaque is significantly reduced. The thought is that pulling oil through and it combining with the salivary alkali starts the oil to saponifi or turn into soap. Soap removes plaque. Other studies also show lower bacteria counts in the mouth after oil pulling.

So it claims lots, I was most interested in that it claims to whiten teeth and help with the thyroid/metabolism (ill take all the help I can get since I have a bad thyroid).

There are many skeptics out there, here are what a few have said after trying it out.

I was a skeptic who decided to see if it works. Now after 5 weeks of oil pulling I can say it works for gums, teeth, better sleep, removal of mucus from your lungs or troth (I am not sure where it is coming from) but, after oil pulling I spit lots of it (it looks disgusting). As for detox I am not sure yet. And I am not sure how will I see if it works or not. I do have occasional constipation, water retention, allergy and arthritis in one joint. I will continue for another 2-3 months to see if any of it goes away. [via]

[I] began oil-pulling about 2 months ago. Since then I have reversed documented nerve damaged and avoided my 5th back surgery. My arthritis in my knees is much better. I have lost weight and my cellulite is going away. My teeth are whiter, my gum tighter. [via]

I started oil pulling a few months ago. I hate to say it, but I gagged the first time I did it, and was not able to continue. … Now I do oil pulling every day … My three loose teeth are no longer loose. No more sensitive teeth- I can eat hot, cold, etc. without any discomfort to my teeth at all. Severe and repetitive plaque buildup on the inside of my lower front teeth literally fell off in my mouth and has never come back. Arthritis in my fingers is gone and has never returned. [via]

So here is how you do it. First thing in the morning, on an empty stomach (no food or drink) place one teaspoon of oil in your mouth. You should use cold pressed sesame oil, cold pressed sunflower oil or coconut oil. Swish the oil around in your mouth for 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure to get the back of the teeth and under the tongue. The oil will start to dilute and then become white and foamy. Do not keep the oil in your mouth over 20 minutes, if you were to your body could start to reabsorb the toxins it has just pulled out. When you spit out the oil, it is recommended to spit it in the toilet due the the fact it can be full of toxins. Next you brush your teeth (I recommend with pure castile non-gylcerin bar soap – but more on that in another article).

It is said to work because the oil mixes with your saliva and activates enzymes in your mouth. Those enzymes draw out toxins from the blood. You can oil pull up to 3 times a day, as long as each time is on an empty stomach. It is also recommended that you are sitting while doing so, I am unable to find any reason why it says this. Anyone and everyone can do this, even pregnant women – however small kids that would have trouble not swallowing should probably not since the oil is pulling toxins out of your blood that should not be ingested.

I have been oil pulling now, and I will continue. I feel that my teeth felt firmer and and my gums softer (it is like a gum massage). I found the process to be somewhat relaxing too, but maybe it was because I could not talk and was sitting – hence not running around. I had some canker sores that just would not go away that disappeared within hours of my first ‘pull’ and have not come back. I also had been having a major stuffy nose the seem to just disappear – but with some work, like in the testimony above I too had lots of mucus coming up after. I will have to have been doing it longer to give you more results.. Ill post more in a few months – but for now I am sold! I would like to say though that if you are around others in the morning, beware they might be very grossed out – which I guess I can understand, I was told it just sounds funny.

So the bottom line is that trying it cannot hurt, it is a all natural product. You can buy it in glass and recycle the bottle. It is an oil that you probably eat and cook with. There are no schemes getting you to buy some extra chemical altered product. Nope! Just go into the kitchen and get a spoon full of oil! If anything you spent an extra 15 minutes relazxing in the morning – which I bet has great benefits on its own.

Have you Oil Pulled? or Are you going to try?