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Migraines
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I am middle-aged woman who has been oil pulling with 1 TBSP organic sesame oil for a little more than 3 weeks - 20 minutes in the mornings only. My teeth are whitening and that's nice. But, for about the same amount of time, I've been getting severe headaches that debilitate me. If I am detoxing, that's terrific, but I can't take much more of the pain. It starts about 2 hours after I finish all my morning routines - which are not different except for the OP. Anyone else have this problem? Any suggestions? The headache seems to start at the back of my neck and then move to the left side and grow in throbbing intensity. I've tried white willow and feverfew - and a Gaia combo called Migra-Profen, and a homeopathic remedy called sinusalia and even tylenol, aspirin, and ibuprofen - (not together!). Nothing touches this headache. It goes on for hours and hours and finally wears off around 8 at night. I guess I will have to give up the OP because I have to function.
(London, Uk)
09/14/2009
Lily, I had the very same problem with sesame oil and oil pulling. Headache at the back of the head that then moved to the bottom left of my head. I too have stopped as I couldnt function with the pain. I hope someone can help us both with an answer.
(New York, Ny)
10/30/2009
Response to Lily and Rin: Have you tried a different type of oil such as sunflower oil? Perhaps it has something to do with the sesame. You may have to leave the seed family altogether and try a different oil.
Some others have also speculated that severe headaches after OP can be due to detoxification. Toxins may become dislodged and may cause symptoms such as yours (also including joint pain and fatigue).
Lastly, try not to clench your jaw while swishing the oil around. Relax and let your cheeks and tongue do the work. Hope this helps!
(Richmond Hill, On, Canada)
12/06/2009
Lily, it sounds that you have the same symptom of headache as I had two years ago. My life was so blighted by this problem then. And it took me almost 10 years to find out that the real culprit of my headaches was chronic sinusitis. And I believe many people who were suffering from unknown headaches are caused by the the same problem. My solution is to take probiotics. Try it and see how it goes. It is possible that oil pulling could be used as a long term therapy in treating the chronic sinusitis problem, however, there is no convincing evidence found on this site and that is what I am trying to find out.
Migraines
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Migraines
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Neck Pain
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Nerve Tooth Damage From Drilling
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Oil Pulling and Dental Fillings
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(Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)
06/22/2009
★★★★★
After reading Lee's feedback about the loss of fillings, I want to say that oil pulling does not remove fillings in good condition. My fillings have been in my mouth 50 years. I have been oil pulling for 3 years, and my fillings are as firm as ever. According to the thought on the Cure Zone Oil Pulling Forum, the fillings are not affected by oil pulling. Rather, if they are already loose or deteorating and there is debris in the cavity, it is this debris that responds to oil pulling, causing already compromised fillings to loosen. Think of this as a blessing, as now you will replace faulty fillings with new, non-amalgam ones.
Catalina
Oil Pulling and Tooth Pain
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After week 1, I started having some tooth pain, deep in the roots. After week 2, that pain got more severe. By week 3, I started feeling very upset... That something is wrong... I should not have 24/7 tooth pain for two weeks! I had never had that kind of tooth pain before. So I stopped oil pulling and went back to flossing only once per day and brushing twice per day (I am using Ecodent natural tooth powder), thinking maybe I was over-treating.
The pain is unrelentless. Although I have not oil pulled for 3 days, my teeth still hurt (the upper and lower front teeth). They have hurt pretty much constantly for two and a half weeks. Also, it seems like my recession is worse. This has me extremely upset, and depressed for the first time in my life.
Can you help explain what is happening? It feels that oil pulling has made my condition worse and caused unrelentless pain that I never had before.
By the way, I have one amalgam filling in a molar towards the back and one non-amalgam filling in a molar on the other side (I have had two cavities in my lifetime).
Thanks in advance for your insights.
(Philadelphia, Pa)
04/25/2013
Dear Aq from Oakland, I'm sorry you are in so much pain. I have treated gum swelling and pain from wisdom tooth movement successfully with pure peppermint oil or pure clove oil on numerous occasions. I apply with Q-tip to all my gum lines and especially to the affected area.
However, I don't have a pocket, amalgam fillings or do regular oil pulling so I cannot speak directly to those concerns. All I know is the pure essential oil application takes away my pain within 15-20 mins. Also if you have an infection I believe both of these oils are good anti microbials. I brush with baking soda and 3% hydrogen peroxide and my gums seem much happier for it. I see new enamel growing since switch away from regular toothpaste.
I hope this helps and you feel well again soon!
(Takoma Park, Md)
04/25/2013
(Fort Collins, Colorado, Usa)
04/25/2013
Hi Aq. I'm no expert on dental care but your post comes in the middle of my own research into dental health after finding an amazing oral health care routine by Dr. Ellie Phillips. I came across her information by accident last week and have been devouring her free website posts ever since. Boy, have I learned a lot! I've also applied her mouth care system and have seen noticeable improvement in just one week. She has a lot of information to go through on her blog but she has a book as well, Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye, which seems to be a more concise and organized read (I have not read it yet). I highly recommend you take a look at her information. http://ultimateoralhealthguide.com/
In the meantime, I do have some thoughts about your routine that you might consider.
You said that at the same time you started oil pulling that you also started to brush your teeth and floss after every meal. This may very well be the problem. This is a common issue, especially here on EC, where most people think that brushing immediately after eating or drinking something acidic (like the popular remedy Apple Cider Vinegar) will protect their teeth from the erosion of the acid. Wrong! It's actually the opposite. Acidic foods and drinks will actually soften your enamel, so that when you brush your teeth you then brush the enamel away. Kind of the worst thing you could do if you're trying to protect your teeth!
The remedy is to make sure that you alkalize your mouth before brushing to ensure that the enamel is protected. You can do this by swishing with a solution of baking soda in water, eating or chewing a mint/gum sweetened with 100% xylitol (or dissolving the pure crystals in your mouth), eating a piece of cheese, or swishing with a commercial product like closys mouth wash. Brushing with an alkalized mouth is very different from brushing with an acidic mouth. This might also happen even if you haven't eaten recently because things like overall diet, stress, medications, toxins, candida, mouth breathing, and hormones that affect the acidity of the mouth. You can buy pH strips to test this easily.
Another issue might be how you are brushing and flossing: it could be a case of doing too much rather than too little. Most people use too hard of a toothbrush and put too much pressure on it, thinking that they have to scour their teeth to make them clean, much like cleaning a dirty, caked on dish. This actually can do lots of damage to teeth and gums. Instead, you should use a soft toothbrush and gently brush the teeth while focusing on massaging your gums to bring much needed circulation to your gums (and letting your body help you fight infection this way).
Secondly, most people have never been taught to properly floss either, so they tend to mangle and cut their gums rather than wriggle food particles out. Your dentist or dental hygienist should be able to show you how to correctly apply both these methods without damaging your soft tissues with heavy-handedness.
My next point was a hard pill for even me to swallow. You see, I have been using baking soda and peroxide as my "toothpaste" for the past 5 years, trying to be as natural as possible and throwing out chemical, commercial toothpaste. I liked it and didn't like the alternatives. Even so-called natural toothpastes have unnecessary or unwanted ingredients (like glycerin, which prevents your teeth from remineralizing with your natural saliva). I, too, practiced good hygiene; brushing and flossing every day and eating a healthy diet, but my oral health still wasn't where I expected it to be.
When I stumbled onto Dr. Ellie's blog I was disappointed to see that she does NOT recommend baking soda because of the effect she's seen on her patients' gums. Her insights have thrown off some of my thoughts and arrogance concerning natural tooth care. In this post she addresses this issue: http://ultimateoralhealthguide.com/2009/03/20/home-made-toothpaste/ . I'll quote a few sentences that caught my eye regarding your condition-
"I have seen baking soda used without problems for a few days, but after repeated use (over months or years) the gums start to disappear. There is no pain or swelling associated with this recession just a loss of gum tissue. This problem can be very severe to the point of people loosing teeth because of this."
Sound familiar? The reason I bring this up is two-fold. First, the main ingredient of Ecodent natural tooth powder is baking soda (baking soda is also mentioned in the first article I linked as a possible cause of gum recession). Secondly, I wanted you to know that I am NOT one who would normally buy any commercial body care products, including fluoride toothpaste. Most of my friends call me a" hippy", as I use the information here on EC as my "health care provider". However, Dr. Ellie has written very compelling evidence for the reasons she has recommended the products that she does.
In the one week (! ) that I've faithfully applied her full program, I have noticed great improvements in the markers of oral health that I felt I was previously failing at. My teeth are whiter and stronger, my front bottom teeth feel "tighter" in the gums (they previously felt "loose"), and I no longer bleed while brushing or flossing. Now, I'm not saying that these things will all happen for you, as you seem to have a much more advanced case than I, but you might! She has many other testimonials similar to mine.
I'm treading lightly here, as I have been amazed at the success I've found, but am very much aware of the dissonance this might create here in EC. Her system uses a series of mouth rinses and a commercial fluoride toothpaste, as well as timely application of xylitol products. She approves of very specific products and goes into detail about why they work. Yes, you read that- fluoride However, if you really take the time to understand the information she presents (across her whole blog), you may just decide to follow her program as well. If you are at all concerned about fluoride, like I am, start with this page:
http://ultimateoralhealthguide.com/2013/03/27/the-fluoride-debate-two-sides-to-every-story/
My recommendations are to look at the links I've posted, do some digging, and find out what will work for you. I know that if I was in your position that I would try to avoid surgery at if all possible (which you seem to as well). Also, I echo another poster in advocating the use of essential oils, especially clove, to deal with your mouth pain. Garlic, too, has seemed to help many others on this forum. Use the search bar above to find relevant posts. If anything, xylitol is also an excellent tool to explore using for dental health, with decades of research backing its efficacy in Europe.
I do not believe that oil pulling is what has been causing your recent discomfort, however I do not know that for sure. You might consider changing your oil to some other oil (maybe you're allergic?) as well as practicing good dietary habits. Drink an appropriate amount of water (coincidentally most people drink too much and flush their body's electrolytes away-see The Water Cure for more info), eat enough protein (since your body needs to build up your gum tissue and repair it), and be kind to yourself!
Good luck, and I hope that I've given you some useful information to help you. Give us an update if you can!
Oil Pulling During Pregnancy
(Tennessee, Usa)
02/03/2014
Dear Alexa,
My understanding has been that you should avoid doing things during pregnancy that cause detox, as toxins released could get to the baby. Unfortunately, the same recommendation holds during breastfeeding, so you end up having a long time where it is not best to do things that detox the body. Of course, in some ways the body is always detoxing...elimination channels are taking out toxins and waste regularly; the idea is just that you don't want to do extra detoxing while you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Now, midwives do sometimes recommend epsom salt baths (to stop pre-term contractions) and that can be detoxing. Perhaps it is milder. Though you wouldn't want to take a super-hot bath as it can raise the temperature of the baby.
If you are looking to do general detoxing, it would be best to wait. If you have a specific issue in your mouth you are dealing with, there may be some other things that would be better to try while pregnant.
~Mama to Many~
Oil Pulling Side Effects
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BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
Oil Pulling Side Effects
Oil Pulling Side Effects
And another question, is there any way you can overly cleanse yourself through oil pulling and rid your body of the good bacteria inside? especially when some. Of the people on the forums of oil pulling are talking about cleansing your body out with apple cider vinegar first for about 2 weeks before starting oil pulling to have a lesser chance of having a herxheimer reaction. Soo idk how and when to jump into oil pulling.
(Tennessee, Usa)
10/28/2013
Dear Krysten,
You asked about oil pulling and detoxing while breastfeeding. Is there something specific you wish to detox from, or just general detox? How old is your baby? With a young breastfeeding baby, I would be more cautious about detoxing. No matter what the age of your baby, you will want to take detoxing slowly and gently.
I think some gentle detoxing is okay with an older baby. Your body is detoxing in sense all the time. Your blood, kidneys, and liver are all working to keep your body clean. Drinking water is a form of detoxing and we do that daily.
I would say that no matter what you try, if you start having a strong reaction to stop or slow way down. Better yet, just take it slowly. If you start with Apple Cider Vinegar, take 1 teaspoon in 6 oz. of water for a few weeks. Gradually work up to 1 Tablespoon in 8 oz. of water each day. At some point, if you add oil pulling, try it with 1/2 Tablesppon of oil for 5 minute a day. Maybe move up to 1 T. for 10 minutes a day.
I have used Apple Cider Vinegar all through pregnancy and breastfeeding. I have done oil pulling while nursing a toddler. I have never noticed any reaction in my children. At the same time, I have never done any detoxing during pregnancy or breastfeeding that have ever caused me to have strong (herx type) symptoms.
Hope that helps!
~Mama to Many~
(Paducah)
03/11/2014
Oil Pulling Side Effects
That has never happened before, is it from the OP and by the way I stopped smoking on Friday. I thought about the connection... I drank half a shot glass in the morning, after I read about OP. This was mid-morning and today about noon. I thought about the coughing maybe it does have to do with the smoking.
