Oil Pulling – Three Simple Steps to Better Health

Oil pulling is one of the easiest steps you can take to improve your dental health, but it also has a whole host of other heath benefits you may not even know about. Lean how to oil pull step by step and implement it as one of your natural health and wellness daily strategies.  

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When I first heard about oil pulling, I was a little confused by it, and completely grossed out.  The thought of swishing oil around in my mouth made me want to gargle with Dawn dish soap, but after some investigation into the benefits, I was willing to give it a try.

What is Oil Pulling?

Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic remedy that has become popular in recent years for its many health benefits. Oil pulling is putting oil in your mouth and swishing it around, or pulling it, for a few minutes, then spitting it out.

Which oil is best for pulling?

If you’re interested in trying oil pulling, it’s important to use a high-quality base oil and high quality essential oils as additives. Coconut oil is the most commonly used base oil for oil pulling, but other oils such as sesame oil or olive oil can also be used. I prefer coconut oil because it is easiest to manage on a spoon to get the oil in the mouth.

How long should you oil pull?

When oil pulling, ideally you will swish the oil around in your mouth for about twenty minutes, but any amount of time can be beneficial.

What do you do with the oil when you are finished pulling?

When you are finished oil pulling, be sure to spit the oil into the trash. Oils can clog up drains, especially bathroom drains that might have hair and other debris for the oil to stick to. I like to spit the oil into a sandwich bag before putting in in the trash to prevent a mess if the trash bag leaks. Oils of all kinds are really difficult to clean up.

What are the health benefits of oil pulling?

Oil pulling is said to help improve oral health by reducing plaque and bacteria in the mouth, as well as whitening teeth. It is also claimed to boost overall health by detoxifying the body, improving digestion, and reducing inflammation.

NOTE: While there is anecdotal evidence to support these claims, more research is needed to confirm the benefits of oil pulling.

Which essential oils are good for oil pulling?

I like to add a few drops of essential oils to my coconut oil to gain some additional benefits and fresh breath.  Here are some of my favorites:

• Thieves – The highly antiviral and antiseptic properties of the single oils contained in this blend help protect the body from the onset of flu, candida, colds, etc.  This blend can be purchased from Young Living.

• Peppermint- For centuries peppermint has been used to soothe digestive difficulties, freshen breath, and relieve colic, gas, headaches, heartburn and indigestion.

There is a lot of information about oil pulling out there.  For those unfamiliar with the concept, it sounds lots more complicated than it is.  Though there are many specific methods out there, the basics are the same.

Oil Pulling in Three Simple Steps

1.  Begin with a table spoon of coconut or other base oil on a spoon.

2.  Swish oil around “pulling” it back and forth through your teeth for about 20 minutes.

3.  Spit oil in the trash.

The first morning I tried oil pulling, I admit, it was nasty, but the next morning was not so bad.  Now, I barely give it a second thought.  After just a couple of weeks of adding pulling to my morning routine, I saw some pretty impressive benefits.  My gums were less sensitive, and the stains on my teeth from taking iron supplements began disappearing.

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