I’m really into oil pulling, and I’ve shared before how I got started with this ancient practice and why I ended up using coconut oil for it. If you don’t know what oil pulling is, it’s basically swishing oil (usually sesame or coconut oil) around in your mouth for a bit (5-20 minutes) and then spitting it out into the trash. It’s believed to help cut down on plaque because coconut oil is naturally antibacterial and might kill the bacteria that cause cavities.
The idea is that the oil can reach and help get rid of harmful stuff in your mouth like bacteria and plaque. Unlike alcohol-based mouthwashes and regular toothpaste, oil can potentially reach between the gums and teeth, and the antibacterial properties of oils like coconut might help break down bacteria.
Many folks say their teeth and gums feel much cleaner when they regularly do oil pulling. Others notice that bad breath disappears. For me, it reduced gum swelling and plaque on my teeth, and my dentist even mentioned how clean and plaque-free my teeth were once I included oil pulling in my oral care routine.
Some online sources suggest that oil pulling can help with things like acne or a sore throat and might even lessen the chance of heart disease, but I haven’t found solid evidence to back these claims. That said, good oral hygiene is crucial for overall health. So, while oil pulling probably won’t magically cure your acne or health issues, it can boost oral health, especially when combined with other good oral hygiene practices.
One day, while making coconut oil chocolates in heart-shaped molds, I thought about how I could simplify oil pulling by making pre-made, bite-sized oil pulling chews.
Recently, I’ve been trying out adding essential oils to the oil for oil pulling to improve the flavor and get extra benefits from the essential oils. I decided to pre-add these oils as well. My favorites are those naturally found in toothpaste, like peppermint and clove. Just make sure that any essential oil used for oil pulling is safe for oral use.
The outcome was easy-to-use pre-mixed oil pulling chews. I store these in the fridge so they hold their shape and are nice and cool when I use them, which helps with the texture at the start. In fact, for my kids who struggle with the texture of coconut oil, keeping these chews in the fridge so they can “chew” them first really helps.
I’ve always been interested in oral health, and after successfully using a mix of diet, supplements, and oral health products to reverse a cavity, I’ve made these methods a family priority. Here are some of the other recipes and methods we use.
Have you tried oil pulling? How did it work for you?
