By now, if you’ve been reading the daily sprout on a regular basis, you’ve noticed that we take a natural and holistic approach to everything health related, not just with chiropractic. When we see there is a real and powerful value in something, we want you to know about it. There are some topics that get us fired up, and some that at the very least compelling to consider as an alternative approach to health. A couple of days ago I ran across an article on Mercola’s website about an ancient oral hygienic technique. It’s interesting that I often use the analogy… “If you take care of your teeth, why wouldn’t you take care of your spine?” (Especially when there is no such thing as a spinal transplant… you’ve got one for life. Take care of it!) It’s fitting that we at least address the first part of that analogy, because holistic healthcare deals with whole body health… including your teeth!
The ancient technique that I mentioned is called “oil pulling”. It’s an oral hygienic technique that I’ve been experimenting with over the past few days. Oil pulling has been around for thousands of years and is making headlines in natural news today. Mercola says, “Western science is now “playing catch-up” to what natives of tropical regions have known for thousands of years.” Coconut oil is high in the medium fatty acid chain known as Lauric Acid. Lauric Acid is widely known for its antimicrobial effect, especially against Streptococcus bacteria, which is one of the culprits in tooth decay. Of course, sugary diets feed these bacteria and should not be overlooked as true cause of dental carries. But, Lauric Acid found in coconut oil has an inhibitory effect on this strand of bacteria, which does not allow it to grow.
The idea is that if you take a tablespoon of coconut oil and “pull” it through your teeth and mouth for a period of 20 minutes, you will essentially kill all the harmful bacteria in your mouth, thereby preventing the tooth decay, cavities, and periodontitis that are caused by Streptococcus. I began to read into the testimonials about oil pulling and found that in some cases people have had almost instant and “miraculous” results, while others took almost a year to notice any difference. The one thing I did pick up on is that almost everybody has something positive to report about oil pulling. We know that oral health is important, as even the Medical community will admit that poor dental health can cause heart disease. Reports of the benefits of oil pulling include: Improved heart health, increased immune function, improved nasal cavity health and function, reduction in arthritic inflammation, improved gut function, migraine relief, and of course teeth whitening, healthier gums (firmer and decrease bleeding), and decreases in dental carries… the list literally goes on and on. What it can actually do in reality remains to be speculated, experimented with, and hopefully soon studied in depth.
In my own personal experience so far, I’ve noticed healthier gums as well as a cleaner feeling mouth. I suspect that over time I will begin noticing even more. It’s something to consider in your approach to dental health! Warning: do not swallow the coconut oil after pulling. It is full of toxins that it just pulled out of your body! Have a wonderful day, and go get your power turned on!
Dr. Mike
2 thoughts on “Oil Pulling”
Good one Dr. Mike! I have been oil pulling for about 6 months. Almost every day. First I tongue scrape, then pull, then brush with non-fluoride toothpaste. At my last dentist visit, I was terrified that I would get bad news, but nope! My teeth are as good as ever! I have noticed less sensitivity to cold too.
Just read your post about oil pulling.
I have been reading about this practice over the last few months and have practiced It myself. There are some concerns that people need to be ware of. Oil pulling has the ability to pull any infection that may already be lingering in your gums or in a root canal. Though this may be a good thing to pull the infection to the surface it can be painful. Without realizing the connection going to a regular dentist instead of a holistic dentist often results in antibiotic treatment. It is worth reading about prior to you beginning this practice.
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