Can Oil Pulling Heal Your Body?

Coconut oil pulling is one of the best ways to remove bacteria and promote healthy teeth and gums. In fact, it’s been proven to be even more effective than flossing, and it’s one of the best ways to naturally whiten your teeth.

It has taken quite some time, but oil pulling has finally gained some popularity in the United States.

Used primarily in Ayurvedic medicine, oil pulling — known as gandusha in Ayurveda — specifically coconut oil pulling, is a fantastic oral detoxification procedure that’s simply done by swishing a tablespoon of oil (typically coconut oil, olive or sesame oil) in your mouth for 10–20 minutes.

Oil pulling works by cleaning (detoxifying) the oral cavity in a similar way that soap cleans dirty dishes. It literally sucks the dirt (toxins) out of your mouth and creates a clean, antiseptic oral environment that contributes to the proper flow of dental liquid that’s needed to prevent cavities and disease.

This unbelievably effective procedure has been used for centuries as a traditional India remedy to:

Treat tooth decay
Kill bad breath
Heal bleeding gums
Prevent heart disease
Reduce inflammation
Whiten teeth
Soothe throat dryness
Prevent cavities
Heal cracked lips
Boost the immune system
Improve acne
Strengthen gums and jaws

It’s even been reported to help with TMJ symptoms, although these are anecdotal reports. (1) So if you’re looking for whiter teeth, there is no better, safer whitening practice than coconut oil pulling, which has a host of benefits beyond making those teeth look great.

What Is Oil Pulling?

Most of us cannot even imagine what life would be like without brushing and flossing our teeth every day. However, in the scheme of things, brushing teeth is relatively, new since the nylon bristle toothbrush didn’t become part of our normal American experience until the late 1930s, and many people don’t floss on a regular basis as is.

It’s important to remember that, in spite of the fact that most people in American today were all raised with toothbrushes in our mouths, our ancestors didn’t brush their teeth with toothpaste for thousands of years. And, as far as archeological evidence suggests, most people throughout history lived until a ripe old age with most of their teeth intact and in a strong, healthy state.

Why didn’t their teeth rot?

Well, first of all, they ate real food and didn’t consume processed sugars and grains filled with phytic acid, which destroy tooth enamel. Secondly, they took care of their teeth through natural means like chew sticks that they rubbed against the teeth, as has been found in Egyptian tombs dating to back to 3000 B.C. Third, depending on the culture and region of the world, many people also practiced oil pulling.