Oil Pulling: Unlock Natural Oral Health & Detox Benefits

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. :)

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.

& Always brush beforehand! The sesame oil has been proven to retard plaque for up to 12 hours.

I use Sesame Organic Oil and am happy with my choice. I rinse well with salt water about three times and then brush my entire mouth, not just my teeth. I do all my spitting in a zip lock bag.

I have been ill for four long months from a six and a half hour gallbladder surgery. The first day that I felt like myself was the day I began to OP. I had more energy and did chores I've not been able to do at all! I was not sitting the day away and it felt so good!

I OP in the morning after waking up and then about 9:15PM if I feel like it. I'm not binging at night on the nights that I do OP. I do have a snack and seem satisfied which is more than a small wonder!

So far so good with me! My jaw dropped when I found this site about OP! If my good health continues I will be doing this forever!

Your artificial joint likely had no "glue" or "cement". Newer joint replacement surgeries today use pegs and screws and eventually bone tissue grows over the new joint making it even more stable. Glue and cement are rarely used anymore. There is no way coconut oil could get into your joint from your mouth and loosen something in your leg. I asked my surgeon how sturdy the joint with the bolts was and he said "nothing.. short of severe trauma (car accident, etc. will loosen it". Here's a description of how joint surgeries are done now.. to relieve your concerns:

"In a non-cemented procedure, components of the implant have a roughened porous surface designed to allow bone to grow into it, eliminating the need for cement.

"The implants are "press fit" against the bony surfaces that are precisely cut through the use of multiple cutting jigs. Faultless positioning is necessary for bony attachment to occur with initial fixation by metal pegs and screws of the implant to bone. Since this implant relies on the bone to hold it in place, this procedure requires good bone to be successful."

http://ehealthmd.com/content/how-artificial-implant-fixed-bone

I have done it now for almost a year and loose teeth are firm again. Otherwise my teeth have whitened over time. Other benefits may be there as I have no other issues. Keep it up. Om

She recently started on an oxygen based product (oxy -----, Raise up! , not allowed to advertise here so search), after reaching the higher dose in around 2 weeks her symptoms of detoxing really kicked in.

My wife has not been ill or had a cold /flue or anything really for well over 10 years (hence she thought she was healthy) but after 2 weeks on the oxy product she came out in a red spotty rash on her face, sore chest/ throat , runny nose, sinus pressure/ draining, headache and odd aches and pains in various joints, anyhow these are all reported detox signs so to control the situation she reduces the dose by half and in 48 hours her symptoms have all faded to a manageable level, I am trying to get her to start oil pulling soon as well as we have a unopened bottle of sesame oil to use up soon,

I was thinking if you really want to give your body all you can to heal detox and repair itself you might want to search for and look into an oxygen/mineral type of product as well, If you want to look into it search Ed Mc cabe to read up on this aspect of health, this is the same reason so many people turn to and use hydrogen peroxide (oxygen) as written about all over this site, fortunately there are now far better alternatives available and without the gacky taste!

I only seem to get this with the BSO so now I use other oils I would suggest trying other oils until you find a suitable one for you also look into enamel issues of your teeth

I suspect the oil is merely highlighting an existing issue that is already there, In my case too much pineapple (very acidic) may have reduced my coating of enamel which then allowed the oil to highlight this problem

I am now looking into fixing my enamel properly through diet and no longer use BSO.

I've only just begun my OP-ing (my first 'swish' today! ) so I am by no means an expert on this topic, "I'm just it out there."

I hope you're doing better!

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!

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!

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.

I suffer from standard sinus problems and I've found that I flush my sinuses multiple times hourly. 2 days ago, I averaged maybe 5 sinus flushes per hour (using saline spray). Then I tried oil pulling.

Day one after starting oil pulling, I flushed my sinuses maybe once an hour. Day two, I've barely flushed at all. I can breatheeee!!! I can inhale and exhale and feel deep clean breaths in my nasal cavities.

Regarding oil pulling for teeth... I have one amalgam filling and was hesitant to begin oil pulling. After research on various websites, I found that other people reported oil pulling with fillings and didn't experience issues. The general understanding is that if you do experience issues with your fillings, there was pre-existing damage anyway. I visit the dentist regularly and I know that my fillings are entact, so I went ahead and began my routine.

I have not experienced any metallic tastes or other abnormalities. I will send an update if I do. Despite only starting this routine within the last 2 days, my teeth are shiny. I floss regularly, and I don't experience bleeding, but my gums are slightly swollen. Since I've started pulling, I've noticed that my gums don't feel swollen anymore. They feel very healthy.

Here is my routine:

I oil pull first thing in the morning with 1TBL/3tsp of evoo. (The oil that I use is standard and found in the organic section of my grocery store. ) I typically pull for 10-15 minutes. I can really feel the change of the oil in my mouth once I reach the end of the swishing period.

I spit it out, and immediately rinse with warm water. I brush my teeth with a tooth powder solution consisting of baking soda and sea salt, and then I gargle again with the remaining warm water (with some of the tooth powder mixed in). I then gargle one more time with just regular warm water to ensure I've cleaned my mouth thoroughly.

In the evenings I floss and gargle with warm water and baking soda/sea salt. In the 2 short days that I've oil pulled, I've noticed that my floss is removing more plaque than before (despite not changing eating habits), so I am definitely happy with the results thus far.

If I do experience any negative effects, I will send an update, but overall I am very happy so far with my oil pulling routine.

I am not one to shy away from a challenge so the 'healing crisis' haven't detered me, but I must say they have been intense!

Initially I started to work on my mouth, I have had braces and plates and noticed that my teeth were moving very quickly, I also had receeding gums which my dentist told me was from pressure of my bite. I immediately noticed an improvement in my oral health, teeth which felt loose tightened up and gums are growing back and teeth do look lighter. I don't need to wear my plate at night like I used to!

Secondly, I had cystic acne when I was younger and went onto roaccutane for it (evil medicine) which worked but I would still have the occasional breakout appear. The oil pulling went straight to this next and I found myself breaking out severely, I knew this was part of the healing crisis so continued, that cleared up.

Next I broke out in rashes which looked like ring worm or dermatitis which I have never had when younger but now came in full force. I have been persisting with it and now doubled up oil pulling to morning and night - I now do 20 minutes each time, and brush with aryuvedic toothpaste as well - which I recommend.

The latest and by far most severe is a red scalp irritation - so my skin is hyper sensitive at this time - even though I was using aryuvedic shampoo. This has all been about the past week or so.

I would love to hear from other people who have encountered this, how long your healing crisis go for, etc. I know and can FEEL that this is all healing and working its way out so I am not giving up. I can also attest for the notable difference in overall emotions and mindset, the regular removal of toxins you aren't even aware of lightens the mood ridiculously well!

Good luck.

It's been two months now in total and almost a month since my original post.

Initially I experienced some bad breath where I hadnt had a problem with bad breath before .. Or halitosis being the posh term :) My bad breath has disappeared.. My teeth are noticeably less stained.. Very noticeably I have to say.. My oral health, my teeth and gums are definately healthier.. not dramatically so I have noticed but definately an improvement.

The other thing I have noticed tho is that I do not ever get any plaque on my teeth .. Never.. prior to and during my menses I get very ill and sick which brings about any number of issues.. Mouth ulcers being one of them.. Oil pulling has virtually eradicated this for me. If I get one it is gone in a few hours. Other thing I have noticed is that my energy level has increased. I generally have a greater energy level than most ppl I kno anyways, and I dont kno if it is down to the oil pulling but I certainly have MORE energy than I usually do.

Also, last week I received my bottle of organic, cold pressed unrefined sunflower oil to try too, along with a tub of organic cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil to alternate and see what happens. I have been swishing with all three and eating minute pieces of the coconut oil

That's my update for the moment. I will keep you posted on any other changes. Many thanks for the site EarthClinic xx