Oil pulling, an ancient ayurvedic remedy, can detoxify your mouth and boost your overall well-being in numerous ways.
I was born in the land of coconuts (that’s what the name of my home state Kerala translates to). Therefore, it came as a surprise to me that I did not know anything about this ancient, traditional ayurvedic practice up until a few years ago.
Maybe my ancestors practiced it, but somehow this great piece of wisdom was lost somewhere along the way. We switched to toothpastes and mouthwashes. We forgot that some of the best preventive personal care practices actually lay hidden somewhere in our own storyline.
I have always loved traditional ayurvedic practices for boosting our overall wellbeing. After reading up about the benefits of the fascinating science behind this, I decided to implement this immediately.
It has been almost a year since I have practiced this and this has become a favorite part of my morning routine. Believe me, you will love it too!
What is Oil Pulling?
Oil pulling involves rinsing your mouth with plant oils like coconut, sesame or olive oil. This helps to pull out the harmful oil soluble bacteria, virus and various other toxic wastes which hide between our teeth and gums. The spread of bacteria throughout the body has been associated with numerous systemic diseases.
It should be done first thing in the morning, when our mouths have built up pathogens and toxic waste. I personally prefer coconut oil because of the taste and plus its added benefit of being antibacterial and antifungal.
How to detoxify your mouth using oil pulling
Swishing oil around your mouth for 20 minutes is the most ideal, but you can vary it based on your comfort level. Holding one tablespoon of oil in the mouth for 20 minutes was a bit hard initially. The natural tendency to swallow tends to kick in, but I have been able to hold it longer with practice.
Take care to not swallow the milky white liquid formed as a result of the mixing of oil and saliva. You do not want these toxins going in to your body and then seep into your bloodstream. Spit out the liquid into a trash can as it can clog up your sink.
Studies on oral bacteria affecting the microbiome of the gut have shown that oral bacteria can translocate to the gut and change its microbiome and immune defense. Therefore, this method gains even more significance.
Tips to not forget this morning detoxifying routine
- Keep the coconut oil in a small glass jar next to your personal care items. This way you don’t have to always run to the kitchen every morning or forget to routine altogether.
So are you thinking of implementing oil pulling into your morning routine? If you want to get whiter teeth, get rid of oral problems like bad breath, gingivitis and get those crappy toxins out with one ingredient commonly found in the kitchen, hail coconut oil!
Do leave a comment and let us know if you are thinking of implementing oil pulling into your morning routine.
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