Pulling What?

After reading from several different sources the benefits of oil pulling, I have been oil pulling (swishing coconut oil in my mouth for 20 minutes each day) for ten days straight. In fact, I'm doing it as I write this post. Day one was pretty much a fail. I scooped a heaping tablespoon full of oil in my mouth, set my timer, and began VIGOROUSLY swishing away. The swishing seemed to stimulate my saliva glands and I soon had more liquid in my mouth than I could handle. I spit about 1/3 of it in the garbage and kept on swishing. Almost immediately, I had the same problem--spit again, keep swishing. Before long, those muscles that are used to swish things were tuckered out. They had never experienced such a work out. My mouth was sore and tired! I spit it all out and looked at the timer--5 minutes had elapsed.

On Day 2, I put about 1 teaspoon in my mouth, set the timer, and again began the process of vigorously swishing. I didn't have the problem of too much liquid this time, but before long the muscle fatigue set in again. I kept going as long as I was able, spit out the oil and looked at the timer--6 minutes. Well, it was progress. Later that evening I shared my experience with my brilliant daughter, Emily. She suggested that instead of spitting out the oil when my mouth got tired, just stop swishing and rest. Genius!

With my new strategy, I embarked on Day 3 of oil pulling: one teaspoon, gentle swishing, occasional breaks when needed. It was a success! 20 minutes went by without any uncomfortable consequences. Days 4 - 9 have been similar. I have been able to swish the full 20 minutes without incident and have become a pretty good multi-tasker. I usually start the swishing process right after the essential bathroom visit in the morning and swish through my morning shower, hair, and makeup routine.

What does it feel like? Not at all what I expected. I anticipated my mouth feeling gross and greasy. Instead it felt gently cleansed and moisturized. My lips felt especially soft afterwards. The one unpleasant sensation was the feeling of lumpy oil in my mouth before it had sufficient time to liquify. Coconut oil is a soft solid at room temperature, like butter. After 60 to 120 seconds in your mouth, it will become a liquid. Initially, you are swishing with a chunky liquid, which was an unpleasant sensation to me. My solution has been to let the oil sit in my mouth until it melts before I start swishing. Some people I've talked to said that oil pulling made them gag. I'm sure it's different for different people, but I don't find it a problem at all. One post I read suggested rinsing with warm salt water after pulling. I have done that several times and really enjoy how my mouth feels afterwards.

Have I seen any benefits from oil pulling? First let me say that I am not one who can sense subtle changes in my body. Things have to pretty significant for me to notice, but I have noticed two things. One, my teeth appear a little bit whiter--not a huge change, but a slight shade difference. I love this effect of oil pulling and it is one that many who have tried it have experienced. I have used whitening strips in the past and they feel harsh on my teeth and leave them with increased sensitivity. Whatever effect the oil had on my mouth, it was very gentle and natural. The second thing I noticed is hard to describe, but it is an effect that others have mentioned--my teeth feel more solid. They feel stronger and more "grounded" in my mouth. Weird, I know!

Even with these two benefits, I wasn't sure whether oil pulling was worth it. Then yesterday happened. I work a volunteer position on Fridays and one of my co-workers is a licensed esthetician. After we got to work, she just starred at me. It was making me nervous until she exclaimed, "Your face is absolutely glowing! Are you still doing that oil pulling?" I had mentioned to her the week before that I was going to try it.

"Why, yes I am. Can you tell?"

"You look like you just had a facial. Your skin is radiant!"

That was it. I am sold.

In my opinion, there are no down sides to oil pulling. It is cheap, easy, and from what I can tell, has multiple benefits. I can do my regular morning routine while I'm swishing, so it essentially doesn't take any time at all. I have an appointment for a dental exam in two weeks. I'll let you know if my hygienist notices improvements. If you are curious, give it a try! I'd love to hear your experience.