oil pulling therapy

I thought I'd introduce this post with a photo of my twin sister and I on our 27th birthday (my oh my, I feel old when I look at that number!) in March of this year. Notice the shiny brilliance of our super straight teeth?!

In all honesty, I can't take any credit for the straightness of my teeth with which I have been genetically blessed. Over the years we've both received compliments on our beautifully straight teeth. But, looks can be deceiving, and straight teeth does not necessarily equal oral health. Would it shock you to know that there are more bacteria living in your mouth than there are people living in the world?! Did you know that your digestion starts in your mouth? Therefore, your mouth is a reflection of your digestive tract. What's going on in your mouth? bad breath? bleeding gums? decaying teeth? Your mouth is a reflection of your body's health, so if you have poor oral health you can be assured that there is disease elsewhere in your body too.

Since research links chronic illness to oral health I am very interested in the state of my mouth's thriving - or not so thriving - ecosystem. Unlike many others my experience of visiting the dentist has always been positive. Up until a few years ago I'd been seeing the same gentle, friendly and mild-mannered dentist my entire life. So when my family dentist retired a few years back we all moved on to start seeing another gentle, friendly and mild-mannered dentist. And it was this dentist who, with his eyes wide behind his magnifying spectacles, introduced me to the concept of flossing! Yes, I only started flossing in my mid-twenties!

Now, the problem is, even with regular brushing, flossing and use of mouthwash, at least 90 per cent of the world's population has a measure of poor oral health.* Our methods simply aren't effectively preventing gum disease and tooth decay. Even my perfectly straight teeth and lack of tooth decay, my anal retentive need to brush and floss at least twice a day, and use a mouthwash when recommended by my dentist, as well as my strict avoidance of processed sugar, has not made me immune to developing a case of gingivitis. This was not acceptable to me so when I came across the ancient Ayurvedic concept of oil pulling I thought, What can I lose by trying it?

It turns out I had nothing to lose and much to gain. In a nutshell, oil pulling is simply rinsing the mouth very thoroughly with oil. Every morning, after having a drink of filtered water, I take 2 to 3 teaspoons, or 1 tablespoon, of liquid coconut oil (n.b. coconut oil is my preferred oil but you can use any type of oil), and for 15 to 20 minutes I vigorously swish it around my mouth and pull it back and forth through my teeth. Then, I spit the oil out into a bag for easy disposal and thoroughly clean my teeth with a natural toothpaste. Since I started doing this over a month ago the gingivitis I was experiencing has cleared up, my teeth are whiter and my breath is fresher.

Here, Dr. Bruce Fife explains in more detail how this method works:

The sucking or swishing of vegetable oil inside the mouth aids the body in healing itself. The process "pulls" toxins and germs out of the body and allows nature to take its course to bring about healing (p. 86) ... Oil pulling offers an excellent way to reduce the microbial populations and improve oral and systemic health (p. 108) ... The oil itself doesn't do the healing; it's the body that does that. All the oil does is provide a way for the body to heal itself (p. 116).*

Oil pulling is not the cure for chronic illness, but it is a useful tool to remove disease-causing bacteria from the mouth. When oil pulling is combined with a healthy lifestyle and other detoxifying methods the pressure of disease is relieved and the body is more able to start the process of healing. My gentle, friendly and mild-mannered dentist may not know about oil pulling but last week at my bi-annual checkup he unknowingly attested to my daily practice of it. After finding nothing wrong with my teeth or gums, and commenting on the healthy state of my mouth, he declared that if everyone he saw had my excellent oral health then he'd be made redundant! Delighted, I proceeded to inform him of my daily practice of oil pulling. And he didn't diss it; he wanted to look into it! Jokingly, he suggested that we keep it a secret or he might be out of a job! Little did he know I'd be writing this...

*For more information with regards to oral health and oil pulling I highly recommend the book Oil Pulling Therapy (Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing) by Dr. Bruce Fife.