How To Oil Pull
Oil pulling is swishing a liquid fat in your mouth to improve oral health. Thanks to Mother Nature, these properties come in the form of a versatile and easy-to-swish-in-your-mouth oil.
And that’s why oil pulling has become a thing in mainstream health culture—it works, makes your mouth feel good, improves oral health, and prevents cavities. But oil pulling isn’t a new thing, not at all. Oil pulling can be traced back to ancient Ayurvedic cultures, which used sesame or sunflower oil.
Some claim oil pulling eliminates toxins from the mouth, but I’m not entirely sold. (Read Bad Science if you want a complete treatment on my thoughts on “detoxifying.”)
This doesn’t mean I don’t think oil pulling is fantastic, especially when you are using a lauric acid-filled oil like coconut oil or liquid coconut/MCT oil. This is because lauric acid and other MCTs (C8 and C10) are known to attack bacteria and are generally fantastic to put in and on your body whenever you can.
Plus, if you’ve done this technique before, you know how awesome your mouth feels afterward. It just feels fresh. There may also be some plaque removal and teeth whitening effects of oil pulling.
Academic research needs to be published showing the effectiveness of oil pulling, but that should not be a sign that it is not practical or something you should try. Try it for yourself and see how you feel, then make an educated decision as to whether oil pulling is for you.
How To Oil Pull
1. Decide on your oil mixture.
We recommend using MCT oil or coconut oil. (Even better, use Wild MCT Oil with lauric acid for the most potent antimicrobial kick.) Optional ingredients include essential oils, spices (turmeric, clove, etc.), and sea salt.
2. Take a TBSP or two swigs and start swishing.
Some other guides recommend 20 minutes of swishing, but that seems excessive. You can go that long if you want, but I’ve found that 3-5 minutes is more than enough time.
3. Spit oil rinses into a trash can or toilet.
You don’t want to put the oil down a drain and don’t swallow it.
- Rinse your mouth out with water.
- Enjoy your new, naturally fresh mouth.
