Oil Pulling: Unlock Natural Oral Health & Detox Benefits

I've been oil pulling off and on for over a year with sesame/sunflower oil. Extreme tooth sensitivity (hot, cold, and warm) completely gone, toothaches from 1 troublesome tooth completely gone, teeth ridiculously clean smooth (stains tartar are gone). I dont think im ever going to the dentist again! I use in combination with a few drops of oil of oregano as i no longer use toothpaste (tried every brand/type of toothpaste, they all aggravated sensitivity and toothache and don't do squat for healthy teeth (in my opinion)).

For me the worst side effect would be smelling and tasting the castor oil because I despise both the smell and taste, even the ones sold as tasteless & odorless. I had too much of the castor oil forced down in childhood, because this was my parents answer to whatever ailed us. Must have been beneficial because most of my siblings are still alive and I am #8 of 10 children and the youngest who is 6 years my junior is now 70 years old. So if you can tolerate the smell & taste, just be sure to spit the used oil out and be sure to let us know what your opinion of it is. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us.

I was wondering where oil pulling ends and going back to the dentist begins again, though. I have a cracked tooth that I was advised needs a route canal. It is edgy and feels rough on my tongue. I know I'll have to revisit for this at some point.

What else can be done? I have read people dealing with these types of issues themselves especially if there is anxiety involved.

Also, how do people ultimately deal with the pressures that the dentists usually put us through in that chair when we get a checkup/cleaning?

It is sometimes hard to get around...especially if you really need their care for a dental emergency down the line.

Thanks ahead for commenting and advising!

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!

I found this site just a week ago after coming home from the dentist extremely frustrated (on top of having a 1/2 numb face for the next two hours). Over the last few months I've been drawn to natural cures actually for my spouse, not myself, to help cure her polymyositis and fibromyalgia (off topic, but magnet therapy is helping). Anyway, after that trip to the dentist I said, "there HAS to be a better way!" Briefly, I'll state my history as having struggled with gum disease for at least the last ten years. It has gotten much worse in the last year. Unfortunately, I had an accident last fall that further irritated two of my teeth that were already slightly loose. When I went to the dentist last Thursday to see what could be done I was really upset that 1) my insurance wouldn't cover a deep cleaning because I'd had one within the last three years 2) I needed to get that cleaning (I agreed) to help keep my teeth clean and 3) that it would cost me ~$500 for just ONE side of my mouth ~ and the total would have been ~$1,600 out of pocket (includes injecting antibiotics directly into eight teeth/gum areas at ~$40/tooth)! Because I thought I *needed it,* I bit the bullet and got one side done but when I got home I was determined to find another way. It was too much discomfort and I didn't want to pay for it if I didn't have to. That's when I stumbled upon oil pulling. I thought it sounded absolutely too good to be true but with all of the testimonials and the fact that it had very little risk why not try it? Well, last Friday morning, 6/18/2010, I started with Sunflower oil. I lasted about 12 minutes. I thought it taste rather bland so I switched to organic, virgin sesame oil the next day and have been using that up until today, Friday, 6/24/2010. My results are as follows:

1-After day one I immediately noticed that my teeth became a little whiter
2-After day two I became really congested and had to blow my nose a LOT. I also had a couple of pimples pop up, which have since cleared. I think the sunflower was better for whitening quickly.
3-After day three I noticed that I was sleeping a lot deeper and had a ton of energy during the day
4-As of last night I noticed that both of my loose teeth are secured. I would say that one is 95% while the other is trailing at 90%!
5-My skin seems a little clearer.

I am ASTOUNDED by these results as I'm 29 years old and was worried to death about losing them. My own sibling who is a dentist in another state told me that something drastic needed to be done or I would lose them. :( Also, a dentist that I was going to every three months up until earlier this year (I've recently relocated) wanted to do a LASER procedure to penetrate the gums and fix the problem. I'm SO glad I didn't do that! The only reason I didn't do it is because the timing was bad with me preparing to relocate and that procedure would have also been ~$1,600 out of pocket. (My sister did tell me not to do laser because it was too invasive and not necessary).

At any rate, that's my report after a full seven days. I'm grateful to not lose my appetite like some others here because I'm underweight and am consuming a lot in order try and gain 10 pounds. That is another journey in itself, but it's coming along now that I'm tracking my caloric intake. OP has made junk food less appealing, which is a good thing. My process is to brush and floss as usual, OP for 5-10 minutes, spit, rinse, brush with water and baking soda and rinse one more time. It sounds like a lot but it's not that bad. Fifteen minutes go by quickly if you just fill it by checking your email. Besides, 15 minutes a day to save thousands of dollars and unnecessary pain is worth it! Oh, I also cut down on sodas tremendously over the last week. I had about three rather than one a day. I drank mostly water - had no desire for soda.

I'm so excited about this I want to tell my family and friends but I'm going to wait until 30 days go by. I know they're going to be skeptical, especially the dentist, but if she can get a hold of my dental records then there will be proof! My wife has now decided to try it. Yesterday was her first day and not more than ten minutes after doing it she felt "different" and had to release phlegm. This morning she woke up with me at 5:00 as chipper as ever, very energetic without the aid of coffee, an energy drink or Adderall. We're both amazed. I do worry that her healing process may be unbearable as she's been struggling with chronic illnesses for at least eight years, but it would worth it if she no longer had to deal with them or prescription drugs with horrific side effects.

Sorry, this post is a lot longer than I intended it to be.

Dont believe the drug pushing drug companies. GOD gave us everything we need. How do u think other cultures survived for thousands of yrs? why was evoo, and herbs etc considered currency? EVEN BEER! Modern medicine is yesterday news. They try diff things but then 10yrs later u always see that people have lawsuits due to drugs they took. ESPECIALLY Now! DETOX first, then inflammation will go away, then restoration occurs. All diease comes from inflammation and cellular degeneration. Oxidation is also important. BUT THE MOST BY FAR- IMHO- is normalizing/testing regularly ur Ph. of BOTH the BLOOD/URINE. EVERYone is finding that acidosis is the main contributor of cellular degeneration. Check it out.

iam a 58 yr old female in good health. Since my early 40's when i had arthritic twinges (i remembered my grandmother's hooked fingers) i decided to learn about diet and have followed a healthy lifestyle influenced by reading and my own experiences.

I eat fruit on an empty stomach which is so effective that my sceptical husband does it! Also i eat according to my blood type ( i used to have eczema and discovered that tomatoes and potatoes,the deadly nightshade vegetables are like poison to A types)

i like hearing about other aids to health and i have been oil pulling for a couple of months it has helped my dry skin and hair. My theory is that the swishing and the saliva change the oil chemically so that the full goodness of it is taken up by the body. I clean my teeth carefully afterwards with a natural toothpaste then sip a large glass of filtered room temp. water (i do it once in the morning immediately on rising). I use 1 12 tsp of organic olive oil and will try walnut tomorrow.

My mother who is 81 also has found great benefit from it; she has followed my health ideas and is on no medication (she hops and skips about showing up many people who are years younger than her), Isn't it incredible how many people think that bad health is 'dropped on them from above' rather than the terrible high sugar, junk fat, high carbs diet that the advertisers 'make them eat.

Also, do not use peanut oil. I was told when I first started pulling not to use it because of the mold it develops after it is picked.

But GMO experiments went way beyond that. By now you may have read about their implanting of human genes into wheat, spider genes into goats, etc.

Anyone who still believes the industry's marketing hype about GMOs being no different from products of 'natural selection' has not done their own research.

Kazza Veronica

I am oil pulling and the first few days I felt like I had the flu.... Its def. detox or die off symtpoms.. They are less now and I have been oil pulling for a month....A lot of plague came off my teeth... gums are better and teeth are whiter. I use organic safflower oil.

Then few years back again I started it, and did it regularly 3 times a day, and that was the time got so many blisters in my mouth. I still continued with great difficulty , thinking it was okay, as it must be all the toxins coming out and they would go away, as Sesame oil is also good for treating ulcers anyway in India.

But then I could not even open my mouth it was so painful, that I had to visit a doctor and get medicines to get rid of the blisters. After that, I decided I will not try OP.

Now again I suddenly remembered it and as I am in my 50s with all the associated problems related to this age, I thought I would start again.

So I started with once a day early in the morning and slowly as the week progressed I have started doing it twice a day.

Till now I have had no problems and I really like doing it.I also have not noticed any positive changes in me, but that is okay, we have to give time to healing to see results. I am willing to wait. I feel I must have got too excited and had started doing 3 times previously, that is why too many toxins were released and caused the blister problem. This time I am more sensible, if I see some problem, I would reduce it to once a day, and see when I can re start it to twice a day, or even stop it for a while I have no doubt in my mind regarding its goodness. I have done it both with sesame oil as well as coconut oil. I don't like sun flower and olive oil. I would keep alternating between Coconut and sesame oil.

I will soon get back with my updates.

I am 21 years old, 5' 3", and 203 pounds according to my scale today. Since oil pulling, my keratosis pilaris has cleared up considerably. I still have a few bumps but my skin all over has a nice glow and I no longer have the red bumps that gave my skin the 'chicken skin' look. But I did recently have a visit to the beach, and I've always known that salt water + sun calms down my keratosis pilaris too. When I first started oil pulling I had the same effects but it took longer, but with the combined 'treatments' my skin is very smooth.

I've always had a glow to my face since I use the Oil Cleansing Method, but the added effect of Oil Pulling certainly helps too. My stretchmarks have faded, but I've been using organic unrefined virgin coconut oil (used for pulling as well, I got a pound of it off Amazon for fourty bucks, it's lasted me over six months and I still have 1/4 of it left) everytime I get out of the shower for over a year. I'm not sure if it has helped my dark circles. They're hereditary and have always been dark, like I got punched in both my eyes. I suppose I have been using less concealer lately...

My teeth are cleaner, whiter, and stronger. I have a tooth that is beyond being fixed, but I don't have the money to get it extracted. Oil pulling definitely keeps the pain away and helps keep food particles out. My tongue is always pink, my breath never smells bad. But I also use baking soda and peroxide to brush my teeth and tongue. I have a slightly crooked jaw caused by me chewing mostly on my left side do to my decaying tooth on the right side. It doesn't hurt anymore and I'm pretty sure my jaw line has gotten more defined. My left side is also the side that has fillings and the pulling doesn't effect them at all.

I have more energy. I'm really not a morning person but with a new job I started I have to get up around 6:30 am. Without oil pulling I don't think I'd be able to drag myself out of bed.

And since oil pulling, I haven't wanted to smoke marijuana. I actually stopped completely a week and a half ago. I'm not sure if it's because I'm oil pulling or because I stopped smoking weed or both, but I eat less and people have told me my over all appearance looks tighter like I've been working out. I have been walking a lot more, that's for sure. Probably because my energy is up. Yay!

Also, my dreams are a lot more vivid and I can remember them when I wake up. Also might be a side effect of not smoking anymore, but I have oil pulled longer than I haven't been smoking and know for a fact that my dreams started when I began oil pulling. I've probably had more energy because I have been getting a deeper sleep, and I only need 8 hours as opposed to the 10 hours I've been used to!

All in all, I've had a positive outcome to oil pulling and I don't plan to stop. Even if it's just a placebo effect, I definitely feel better and healthier. :)