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During the COVID-19 crisis, get updates and information at ADA and your state’s website. Please follow the official guidance, stay safe and help limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Contact Us if you have more questions and thank you for your cooperation.

Oil Pulling for Oral Health: The Results

Author: Dental Geek
03.17.14 / 2:43 pm

This challenge was one that I was ultimately very excited about due to all the buzz I had been reading as well as the fact that people claimed to have ditched their toothbrush and toothpaste over it. As I knew I would never ditch my oral health regimen knowing how important it is, I was excited about those “extra” benefits I could get from oil pulling.

Okay, enough stalling, I will finally reveal my experience with oil pulling.

Day 1 was probably the hardest. It was everything I thought it would be. Anxiety over putting a Crisco-like textured substance in your mouth, gagging because there is this weird Crisco-like textured substance in your mouth and more anxiety knowing that only 1 minute had passed and I still had 19 more minutes!

Once I got over the anxiety and distracted myself with television and some social media, it wasn’t that bad. I still find the process itself somewhat strange since I am an avid coconut oil user, but I did begin to become a believer once I saw the benefits.

So let’s touch on the reported benefits we originally listed in our first post on oil pulling and if I have personally experienced any of these benefits.

+         Whitens Teeth – I immediately saw a change in the brightness and whiteness of my teeth after Day 1 of oil pulling. (I was super excited about this benefit and honestly it was the one thing that kept me continuing this experience).

+         Strengthens Teeth, Gums and Jaw – I personally did not see a difference in the strength of my teeth or jaw, maybe this is more of a long term benefit, but I definitely felt like this process affected my gums. My gums tend to be very sensitive and bleed when I brush or floss too hard. I could tell after a few days of oil pulling the bleeding has subsided.

+         Reduces Sensitivity – I don’t have very sensitive teeth to begin with so this proclaimed benefit wasn’t something I could personally report on.

+         Prevents Cavities and Gingivitis – I will have to report back next time I see my dentist! Cross your fingers that I’m cavity and gingivitis free!

+         Cures Halitosis – I did notice in the morning that I wasn’t running to the bathroom for mouthwash and throughout the day that I wasn’t as self-conscious about checking the status of my breath, so I could agree it was beneficial. A cure? I wouldn’t go that far. I will never give up my mouthwash and minty gum throughout the day.

Though there’s no scientific evidence to support this technique, and I haven’t yet been to my dentist or hygienist to report on their opinion of my oral health, my mouth did feel fresher, cleaner and healthier than just brushing and flossing alone.

So overall, I would say that my experience with oil pulling was successful and beneficial. Will I be oil pulling every day from now on? Probably not, but I do think it is an effective tool to add to your oral hygiene regimen. My suggestion? Mint flavored coconut oil!

We want to know, did any of you take the challenge with me? What was your experience? Are you an oil pulling addict, or is this just another trend you are going to let fade out? Let us know!

Dental Geek

Dental Geek

2 responses to “Oil Pulling for Oral Health: The Results”

  1. Thanks Brianne for sharing this post. I am happy that you have kept the facts intact. Was certainly a good read after a long time 🙂

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