Oil puling is an ancient Ayurvedic tradition of swishing oil around in the mouth to naturally clean the teeth, support gum health, detox the body, balance hormones, and improve digestion and skin health. I often recommend it as part of my healing protocols.
Oil Pulling for Health: Background, Oils to Use and Benefits
An ancient Ayurvedic remedy used for oral health and detoxification, oil pulling has made a comeback as a popular health trend in recent years. The process involves pulling pathogens and other harmful organisms from the mouth and body, which offers extensive benefits as far as oral health. However, the practice does more than just treat issues of the mouth. Virgin coconut oil is the best choice for oil pulling because it is truly “raw”. Sesame Oil, Sunflower Oil, Olive Oil, Black Seed Oil and Tea Tree Oil can also be used, but are said to be less effective than Virgin Coconut Oil.
What is Oil Pulling?
An age-old remedy, oil pulling is a treatment that employs natural substances to clean and detoxify the teeth and gums. At this level, the process also helps naturally whiten the teeth and improve gum health by removing bacteria.
The basic concept behind the practice is that the oil is swished around the mouth for a short period of time each day. The process helps draw out bacteria and infection in the mouth, but research suggests it goes much further than that.
What Does It Do?
The remedy works as a natural cleansing process. As the oil is sloshed around the mouth, a certain level of friction is created. This friction creates a cleaning effect that removes unwanted particles as well as germs. The concept of “like dissolves like” also applies in this situation, as the oil used is capable of cutting through plaque and removing toxins as the compounds are so similar.