Who knew this little baby could do so much good for our body. This week’s post comes from our friend and B4BC Wellness Ambassador Megan Pischke! If you’re like us, you’ve heard about oil pulling by now. It became a HUGE trend not too long ago because of the benefits. Megan decided to hop on the bandwagon and find out if it really is worth the time. Read up on Megan’s experience and decide if you want to try oil pulling out for yourself!
Oil pulling is a step beyond brushing and flossing your teeth. It is a natural form of oral hygiene that is quite possibly connected to good overall health.
I read about it in a yoga magazine a few years ago and it sounded crazy. Swooshing oil in your mouth for nearly half an hour a day sounded time consuming and kind of gross, although the health community felt otherwise. With results like strengthening teeth, preventing tooth decay, stress reduction, and the claim to have cured many systemic diseases (ranging from headaches to diabetes), it started sounding more and more interesting to me.
I started to see it pop up everywhere: blogs, health magazines, tv, etc. Then one of my sisters said she was doing it and she definitely makes calculated health choices. Plus, I was hearing it was “controversial” so of course I had to give it a try. I am always down for some controversial detoxing!
I started with an organic, unrefined coconut oil. The weird part was putting a spoonful of not-yet-melted oil into my mouth. Having to melt it down took some getting used to. After just a week I definitely noticed whiter teeth! I kept it up for a few weeks and had fantastic results. Now I oil pull for 10 days or so every few weeks. I love the fact that I feel like I can take a rest from fluoride from time to time.
I haven’t had to officially treat any problems in my mouth with oil pulling, but I look forward to seeing what my dentist has to say next visit.
Here is what my sister and some of my friends are saying about the benefits they’ve noticed from oil pulling:
- Whiter teeth
- Stops headaches/neck aches
- Much less plaque
- Reduces hormonal acne around the chin/mouth
- Clearer skin in general
- Treats cold sores in the mouth
- A reversed cavity (One that their dentist was a bit shocked by)
If you need an experts point of view, here is what some specialists are saying:
- Reduces headaches
- Detoxes the body
- Frees up the immune system and reduces stress
- Reduces internal inflammation
- Reduces plaque and gingivitis
- Gets rid of bad breath
Ok so, this is NOT a substitute for brushing your teeth altogether. I believe it’s an awesome addition to brushing your teeth and enhancing your overall well being (naturally). Now it’s time to decide if you and your teeth are up for it!
HINTS:
- Make sure you use extra virgin organic cold pressed oil
- Do it on an empty stomach (I prefer first thing in the morning)
- DO NOT spit it into the sink or toilet- trash can is best.
- You can do a quick rinse afterwards with some apple cider vinegar and a tongue brush to get rid of any remaining toxins.
Sources: US National Library of Medicines
