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Its winter and if like me, you suffer from tooth issues then oil pulling can maybe help you like it does for me. I have impacted wisdom teeth on my left side and due to the way they sit so close to my nerve I feel a lot of pain, especially in the winter months. Unfortunately surgery is out of the question due to the risk of nerve damage leaving me with paralysis on my face. So my friend who is an Ayurvedic Doctor suggested oil pulling.

So what exactly is oil pulling? Its an oral therapy that is a type of Ayurvedic medicine that dates back 3,000 years or so. It involves swishing approximately 1 tablespoon of oil -typically coconut, sesame, or sunflower oil, in your mouth for about 20 minutes and then spitting it out.Recent studies show that oil pulling helps against gingivitis, plaque, and microorganisms that cause bad breath. It can also help prevent infection which is a common cause of tooth ache and pain in the mouth. There are claims it prevents mouth ulcers and can also give relief and heal at the same time.

Tips and Tricks:

While it may seem as simple as swishing oil in your mouth, many still struggle with the idea and after a few attempts end up giving up. In the beginning I found it difficult to incorporate in my schedule but eventually I found a way to make it work.

For me the most important thing was the type of oil I was using. I found coconut oil works best and the overall smell and taste isn’t bad at all, in fact after say two minutes the smell and taste is neutral. It has the added benefit of lauric acid,making it more effective. Also, a recent study found that coconut oil may help prevent tooth decay.

In the beginning I went full on twenty minutes and boy was it awful. Needless to say I quit after a few attempts! Recently I started again and this time I did five minutes and after a week moved on to ten minutes. Gradually I added five more minutes every week until I reached my goal of twenty minutes. One of the things I found by doing this was my mouth didn’t get tired and eventually at twenty minutes my mouth and gums felts great and I could believe I was doing a whole twenty minutes!The longer you pull, the more bacteria you’ll remove, 5 or 10 minutes will still offer some benefit. Also remember that if you have a smaller mouth skip the one tablespoon and go for two teaspoons instead or else your jaw will pain and also you will dribble.

There’s no need to work fast, twenty minutes is a long time and you will tire easily. Go slow and swish and pull gently.Whatever you do, don’t swallow! Once done spit out in a trash can as the cold oil can harden and clog your drain. Some people pour boiling water down the drain to prevent that, if you have the time then that works too.

Lastly don’t forget to brush your teeth and floss. Yes, you still have to do it. There’s no replacing brushing and flossing and its a very important part of dental hygiene. Like any great supplement it is meant to enhance a specific function. Oil pulling is a growing trend and for most people its become a part of their lifestyle and looks set to stay that way for years to come!

Source: WebMD, Natural Medicine