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Oil Pulling

Contents:

  1. Which oils can be used for oil pulling?
  2. How does oil pulling work?
  3. Preparing your mouth
  4. The oil pulling procedure
  5. Benefits of oil pulling

Oil pulling is an important part of Ayurveda, the traditional medicine from India. Oil pulling (also called oil swishing) is the practice of swishing a small amount of unrefined, native vegetable oil in the mouth for 10 to 20 minutes. It is said to improve oral hygiene by "pulling out" bacteria and other pathogens. 
Over the last couple of years, oil pulling has become more and more popular in Europe and the US. Many practitioners are convinced that oil pulling does not only enhance the mouthfeel but also improves the overall health.

Which oils can be used for oil pulling?

In Ayurvedic oil pulling, the oil is kept in the mouth for a longer period of time. Therefore, it is best to use cold-pressed, unrefined vegetable oils with a pleasant or neutral taste. Futhermore, the oil interacts with the gums for 10 to 20 minutes so it is highly recommended to choose an organic, cold-pressed vegetable oil from controlled organic seeds and nuts. Any risk of residues of pesticides or other harmful substances must be eliminated. At Ölmühle Solling, all products are thoroughly tested to ensure this high qualtiy standard.
Which oil you choose is up to you. For oil pulling, we recommend our coconut oil virgin as well as our fair Naturland-certified coconut oil. But also sesame seed oil, flaxseed oil or sunflower seed oil are suitable for daily oil pulling. While some appreciate the nutty flavor of our walnut oil, others prefer fruity oils such as plum kernel oil or the aromatic almond-vanilla spice oil to start their day.

How does oil pulling work?

It is best to make oil pulling a part of your morning routine. However, if you do not have time in the morning, you can also choose any other time of day. What counts is that you reserve 10 to 20 minutes a day for oil pulling and practice it at least 3 to 4 times a week, if not daily. 

Preparing your mouth

Before starting with the actual oil pulling, you should remove any debris on your tongue with a tongue scraper. This way, you reduce the amount of bacteria that will be absorbed by the oil. If you do not have a tongue scraper, you can also use a spoon by gently scraping the tongue 2 or 3 times, from back to front. Clean the spoon after each time. When you are done, rinse your mouth with water. There is no need to brush your teeths yet, this should be done after the oil pulling.

The oil pulling procedure

Take one teaspoon of your preferred oil and move it in your mouth as if you were using a mouthwash. Suck and pull the oil through your teeth and make sure to cover the entire oral cavity with the oil.

Oil pulling will activate the flow of saliva which will lead to an increase of the amount of fluid in your mouth. Slowly but steadily, the oil will start to blend in with the saliva. This will release and bind food particles, bacteria and other microorganisms from your teeth, tongue and the oral mucosa.

Pulling oil for 10 to 20 minutes can seem quite long if you are concentrating on the mere act alone. So the time can and should be used for other activities such as taking your morning shower, preparing breakfast, watering plants, cleaning up, etc. Next to saving time, this has an additional advantage: "Distracting" yourself from the oil pulling automatically regulates the movement of the mouth and tongue so that you do not strain your jaw while it is not use to this kind of excersice yet.

At the end of your oil pulling session, do not swallow the oil but spit it into a handkerchief which you throw away. Afterwards, you should brush your teeth. After a few days of oil pulling, you will probably notice that your teeth and muscosa feel smoother.

Benefits of oil pulling

According to Ayurveda, oil pulling can have a positive impact on the oral cavity as well as the entire organism. It should lead to a better breath, a healthier oral flora and thereby improve the dental health. Also, oil pulling is said to improve the overall health as it is supposed to extract harmful bacteria.

However, there are no scientific studies yet that prove the benefits of oil pulling. Meanwhile, there is consensus that there are no negative side effects to it. This means that oil pulling can be seen as an opportunity to detox the muscous membranes, the tongue as well as the entire metabolism from unwanted substances. So there is no harm in trying this traditional Ayurvedic treatment with one of the native, fresh from the mill vegetable oils from Ölmühle Solling.