Anyone ever try Oil Pulling?

[Jodi]

Originally Posted by DaBigGuy

I tried this this morning.About 10 minutes into it I tilted my head back just a little bit and gagged.I got a nice bit down the 'ol shoot.I spit it out after that.Did it about a total of 12 minutes.The oil looked like white foam when it came out.I noticed for the next couple hours the extra mucus I was coughing up.I will give it a shot again tomorrow morning.

its workin! You made it longer than I di the first couple of times...I think I lasted 5 minutes at most...

[JKat]

Let me get this straight.

You swish in your mouth oil Co or safflower in and out of your teeth. Do you then brush??

Hey Jodi.....I am a Jodi too with and i. There are not many of us.

[Molly Bloom]

Hey Jodi, I'm not sure about that toxins thing....my son had this as an infant. I think it's mostly genetic. But if you go on the keratosis pilaris forum they do some god awful things to their skin to get rid of it. I guess I would feel the same way should I have this on my face and in really visable areas.

Ah, I have a massage therapist and I go in for one of those massages once a month. Actually, when I go to her more regularly, I lose weight! She says it happens like that sometimes. Maybe I should start upping my appointments with her.

[fawn]

Molly, have you ever heard of the KP-Retinol deficiency relationship?

[porcupine73]

I've tried it a couple times with coconut oil since reading this thread yesterday. It works quite well. I'm going about 10-15 minutes or when I suddenly feel the coconut oil consistency kind of change. Then I spit it out and rinse a couple times with salt water. I have noticed my teeth feel noticeably cleaner and not 'fuzzy' (I'm not all that good about keeping my mouth clean).

The oil consistency change is odd. If you've ever done a cement mixer, which is taking a shot of Bailey's irish cream and swishing it in your mouth and then adding a shot of lemon or lime juice to it, the effect feels similar to me of when the oil suddenly changes like that. Then it's time to spit it out I believe.

[Molly Bloom]

No Fawn, I haven't. I will look it up though, thanks. My husband's KP comes and goes, and when my 18 yr old son ever gets "vain" I'll want some things in my arsenal for him.

Ha, I asked you to go post it on the forum...silly me.....sorry. I'll look it up and send it to my good friend who is a moderator at the KP forum.

Thanks so MUCH.

[Molly Bloom]

It's weird that foamy stuff. I've noticed that it gets worse when I eat dairy....Sometimes it will double the oil in your mouth!! It's the mixture of saliva and oil, but why in the world it gets that thick? You are supposed to swish until it gets thin again (old school, but that's what everyone says).

Here's the really good part. NO MORE MORNING BREATH. I swear to you. One of the coolest things my DH and I noticed. So, what makes morning breath? Overnight fermented bacteria. So if you swish the morning before, and the next morning no dragon breath......that's extremely telling, don't you think?

[porcupine73]

It does seem to help breath too. Ok you're supposed to continue after it gets thick until it gets thin again? I have more oil pulling to do. I've been swishing it while in the shower since that takes about 15 minutes it seemed a good time as any, plus it keeps me from singing Skynard songs in the shower.

[Joy-FL]

Originally Posted by Molly Bloom

It's weird that foamy stuff. I've noticed that it gets worse when I eat dairy....Sometimes it will double the oil in your mouth!! It's the mixture of saliva and oil, but why in the world it gets that thick? You are supposed to swish until it gets thin again (old school, but that's what everyone says).

I haven't tried this personally, so this is all speculation. But oil is absorbed through mucous membranes. So it would get thicker as the soluted junk got left behind.

Dairy increases mucus production, so that sounds like where the extra volume comes from.

[Looweewoo]

I'm thinking that droplets of saliva and air form in suspension in the oil, then at some point the oil and saliva emulsify, creating a less viscous solution which allows the air to escape.

If it were really removing "toxins" those toxins should be easy to identify in the expectorated solution. On further consideration, I suspect that swishing just about anything in your mouth for 20 minutes before brushing would have a noticeable effect, removing germs and tartar by simple mechanical dissolution.

[metqa]

Loowee, I had the same notion when I heard of oil pulling. so I tried just swishing with water for several days and then swishing with oil for several days. I have to say the oil is different. It's more viscous and I think causes more drag as it is pull through the spaces of the teeth.

I have pockets that tend to hold meat and other tough food particles that I cannot get out even with flossing. I usually have to chew gum to get it out. I tried swishing with plain water for a long time and nothing happened, then I switched to the oil and I felt bits of debris loosening and coming free. Yeah, maybe the water loosened it up but the oil brought it out. so I don't know about microscopic toxins and such, but there is a difference in how MY mouth feels after oil pulling than after just swishing with water.

[Looweewoo]

Oh, I agree that Oil should be better. I was only pointing out that probably swishing with something (even just saliva) is going to be better than nothing. After that it seems logical to assume that some liquids will do better or worse than others. There's considerations of dielectric adhesions between substances, the action of wetting agents and emulsifiers, and as you point out, viscosity, and of course unknown qualities such as anti-bacterial and "detoxification".

[metqa]

Originally Posted by Looweewoo

[...]dielectric adhesions between substances, the action of wetting agents and emulsifiers, and as you point out, viscosity, and of course unknown qualities such as anti-bacterial and "detoxification".

Okay, what you said!

[Molly Bloom]

There is an old practice of tibetan monks. It's called teeth chattering. They click their teeth together to produce saliva (try it, it really works). The healing properties of saliva are proven. Dry mouth is a killer for dental health. Click your teeth together 25 times and you'll be shocked at the saliva production.

To me however, OP is much easier...LOL.

Loo, I love to hear how you are critiquing this. Very cool. I've definitely heard this before. Many people have talked about just using water, and then others have just used mouthwash (much to their enamels screaming). Oil is just so gentle. That seems to be the rub, gentle cleansing without enamel erosion.

[Madger]

Originally Posted by porcupine73

If you've ever done a cement mixer, which is taking a shot of Bailey's irish cream and swishing it in your mouth and then adding a shot of lemon or lime juice to it

Bailey's an old favorite... I use to love that stuff!

Originally Posted by porcupine73

plus it keeps me from singing Skynard songs in the shower.

Nothing wrong with singing Skynard in the shower, lol!


Great thread! I'm watching and following everyone's progress!

[metqa]

Originally Posted by Molly Bloom

Click your teeth together 25 times and you'll be shocked at the saliva production.

the saliva production would be me drooling from mental shut down from the loud cavernous echoes! I don't think i"ll be trying that, I have enough trouble trying not to clench my teet and with random teeth chattering as it is ( mostly at night, but very loud and surprising when your jaw just suddenly clamps like a skeletal chatter!)

[Feelin'Great!]

Originally Posted by 2kids2cats

Yeah, I started this with CO but didn't get into the habit. I need to start again!

DITTO! But for the very short time I did do it, my hygienist was soooo happy with me when I went in for my check-up. For the first time in a long time, she didn't scold me for not flossing. She actually complimented my efforts and said my gum measurement was super improved. She had been threatening me that I was going to have serious problems, but I could never seem to make flossing a habit.

I'd better get back to it. I was using Nutiva CO. I didn't notice much whitening though...maybe a little.

[MarcellaSF]

Never mind!

[kaybie]

This sounds barfalicious, but I am gonna try it. Might get the sesame oil and see how it goes.. don't think I can handle coconut right now.

[metqa]

I put xylitol in my oil. So i get the benefit of oil pulling and the antibacterial property of xylitol and it tastes kinda good too. A sweet coconutty cooling effect. I have to shake it up everytime though since the sugar settles to the bottom.

[Molly Bloom]

Wow, I haven't heard of anyone adding Xylitol to their coconut oil....and I've heard just about everything! Yummy. Xylitol is amazing for your dental health. That's why it's my sweetner of choice...it's just so darn expensive.

[pocahontas]

I do it every day. Not only does it keep my teeth white and my gums clean and healthy but it really helps my sinuses. It keeps them clear and I dont get the sniffles as much. I can get terrible allergies if the Santa Ana's are blowing through but the oil pulling helps a lot.

[Molly Bloom]

Poca....those results are completely typical. I know if feels sort of weird at first, but don't you think after awhile it feels sort of zen?

[freeman525]

If I go 3-4 days w/o OPing, my allergies start to act up. So, I OP for that reason first. Secondly, I think it helps my gums stay healthy.

When I started, what I read on EarthClinic made me want to do it first thing when I get up in the morning and I've stuck with that for the most part.

I use safflower oil usually but right now am using sunflower oil b/c I couldn't find safflower at the grocery store at my daughter's.

[pocahontas]

Originally Posted by Molly Bloom

Poca....those results are completely typical. I know if feels sort of weird at first, but don't you think after awhile it feels sort of zen?

Oh yeah! I have been doing it for over a year , maybe closer to 2, and its so easy now! I do it while I am in the shower every morning.

[Branded]

I have a question. I have tried oil pulling several times and each time my gums were extremely sensitive after a day or two that I had to stop. Anyone know what I did wrong?
Brandi

[kaybie]

I just did my first oil pull
It wasn't bad at all! I only did it for 10 mins because my cheeks were getting tired. I think maybe I was swishing too vigorously . And I used the coconut oil! I had a weird black outline on my teeth after, so I brushed it away with arm and hammer toothpaste.
I will try to go for 20 in the morning. Can't wait to see how this goes!!

[Molly Bloom]

Yes, I have heard of that Brandi. I don't know why this would happen, perhaps it's the oil you are using? Coconut Oil, in my experience, is pretty darn powerful. It's an extreme antiviral, so it is amazing for you, but more people have had reactions using that than anything else.

I always tell beginners to start with Sunflower first. It's very mild.

If you feel your teeth are not staying white, or you don't feel the effects, change your oil and it's like a renewed therapy. At my forum, everyone changes their oil every 3 months, or 5,000 swishes, whichever comes first (joke)....

[GME]

I am no expert on OP to be sure, but I always figured it cleans the gunk off your teeth the same way you can get leftover sticker off glass (like when you buy a picture frame with a price sticker) with oil or gum out of hair with peanut butter.

I never made it a permanent habit, but when I did it my teeth felt cleaner and looked whiter.

[phatjow]

oil pulling is amazing.. it helps with my dental checkups.. they can't believe how little build up I have...