Oil Pulling to Naturally Whiten Teeth, Reduce Inflammation and Detoxify the Body

Oil Pulling to Naturally Whiten Teeth, Reduce Inflammation and Detoxify the Body

Lately the ancient practice of Oil Pulling has started to circulate by word of mouth again. People are buzzing about this magical practice that whitens teeth naturally and provides a host of benefits that one would never imagine go hand in hand with simply swishing some oil around in your mouth for 20 minutes. Dr. Karach was a Ukrainian physician who spoke about pulling oil as a “remarkable treatment” at a conference of the All Ukranische-Union of the Oncologists (specialists for tumor diseases) and Bacteriologists, a part of the Academy of Sciences of UDSSR.

Dr. Karach explained that his method could heal a disease at the root, and also act as a preventative. His belief was also backed by experience; he healed himself of a chronic blood disease that had troubled him for 15 years. He even reported to have cured his acute arthrosis by oil pulling in just 3 days’ time. His belief was that humans were only living to half of their life capacity because of unnecessary disease, and that man should live easily to 140-150 years old.

I have been oil pulling with off the shelf sunflower oil for about 2 weeks now and the dentist just told me I don’t need to have my root canal right now and we are “keeping an eye on it” moving forward. Not to mention he was like “How the hell did your teeth get so white since I saw you last?” – Seth Larrabee

How does oil pulling work?

While you’re swishing, move your chin up and down as if you’re chewing. This draws out a lot of saliva and activates digestion. Through this action, poisons are drawn from the blood through the mucous membranes in the mouth. Never swallow the oil, it’s toxic. If you were to accidentally swallow it though, there would be no reason to freak out. Your body can certainly handle fighting off the toxins naturally if you’re in good health.

Toxins that pass through the salivary ducts  into the saliva and oil mixture in your mouth will cause the oil to become thicker and white half way through your oil pulling session. Essentially, oil pulling draws out the disease and harmful elements from the body and eliminates them through the mouth. If you’re the type of person who likes to go deep and read all of the science behind these things Oilpulling.com has a wealth of information for you to go through. I’ve read almost every page on their site many times over!

What is oil pulling used for?

  • Fixing  loose teeth
  • Bleeding gums
  • Tooth pain
  • Better Breath
  • Teeth whitening (free from bleach and abrasive chemicals that break down enamel and cause teeth to chip or break.)
  • Bronchitis
  • Migraine Head Ache Relief
  • Insomnia
  • Thrombosis
  • Eczema, Acne & other skin conditions
  • Ulcers and diseases of stomach and intestines, heart, blood, kidney, liver, lungs and women’s diseases.
  • Diseases of nerves, paralysis, and encephalitis
  • Increasing the metabolism
  • Detoxifying the body
  • Healing Inflammation
  • Healing Arthritis Pain
  • Reducing Sinus Congestion

common oils for oil pulling

What Oils Can I use?

Sunflower and Sesame oil are said to be of the same effectiveness. You can also use coconut oil (that’s what we’ve been doing) but it’s said to be less effective. Coconut oil is quite a popular choice among the health community though, because it’s also very antibacterial which is great for the mouth. You can easily grab a big bottle of Sunflower oil to use instead which ends up being lighter on the budget as well.

How do I do it?

Step 1. Take 1 tbsp. of sunflower or sesame oil in the mouth on an empty stomach in the morning. The reason for the empty stomach is simply because on a full stomach the toxins in your mouth could cause a bit of nausea. I’ve never experienced nausea from oil pulling but just be mindful that it’s a possibility.

Step 2. Set a timer on your ipod or iphone if you have one to 20 minutes and gently swish the oil around in your mouth. Your mouth shouldn’t get tired; if it does you’re swishing too vigorously.

Step 3. After 20 minutes, spit and rinse your mouth out with a sole or water with Himalayan salt. Brush with natural toothpaste like Auromere and floss your teeth afterwards.

Tip:  You’ll want to use 2 toothbrushes. One for oil pulling and one for regular use, because the toothbrush you use for oil pulling may accumulate some bacteria and toxins. Always run the toothbrush under hot water for at least 10 seconds after use and let sit out to dry for the next day. Keep your oil pulling toothbrush right next to the oil so you don’t mix them up.

Pink Himalayan Rock Salt Sole
Pink Himalayan Rock Salt Sole

How Often Can I do Oil Pulling?

You can do oil pulling 1 to 3 times per day. Dr. Karach recommended that each patient gauge their own oil pulling schedule based on their individual healing requirements and experience with the process. He also mentions that some people may experience worsened symptoms before they get better, and this is a sign of healing. For example – an increase in temperature is an indication the body is healing itself.

He recommends not giving up on a regimen before you have healed. Try oil pulling for 30 days and see how you feel. Caleb and I have been oil pulling for months and right away we noticed we could taste our food better, and my skin seemed to clear up overnight. Tooth sensitivity was greatly reduced as well.

Sheleana Aiyana

Sheleana is passionate about getting back to nature through real food and empowering women to walk the feminine path of self-care and deep self-awareness. She's a birth doula in Vancouver, BC She's an avid reader, intuitive culinary goddess and cat lady in the making.