Hey everybody!  This post is all about oil pulling.  I'll tell you what it is, what the benefits are in addition to teeth whitening, and how to do it.  But first, let me give you some background:

Background: I started oil pulling daily in December of 2016 after inevitably having a cavity each and every time I went to the dentist. I did pretty much everything right (except flossing, I'll admit I don't floss) and I couldn't avoid cavities.  I tried consuming less sugar, brushing more often, and brushing for longer periods of time and nothing was working.  It got to the point where I started asking if I could schedule my cleaning and filling all at the same time because I knew when they cleaned my teeth that they would find a cavity.  Because they always did.  So after lots of research, I decided to give oil pulling a try and I am proud to say that for the first time in two years, I recently went to the dentist and did NOT have a cavity!

So here's what you need to know about oil pulling: It's an ancient Ayurvedic dental technique that involves swishing and chewing a small amount of oil in your mouth on an empty stomach for around 20 minutes. Doing this draws out toxins in your body, primarily to improve oral health.  I prefer sesame oil because it's tasteless and liquid at room temperature, which means I don't have to heat it up to melt it beforehand.  But you can also pull with coconut oil, among other oils.

Here are some of the benefits: I've never really had yellow teeth, but I can say that my teeth have gotten SUPER white since I started oil pulling.  Oil pulling also results in stronger teeth and gums, better breath, cavity prevention, gingivitis prevention, and less jaw pain.  It also supposedly helps to alleviate hangovers, skin issues, and headaches.

The how-to at a very basic level is:

1. Take a cap full of oil and pour it into your mouth

2. Swish it around and chew on it for up to 20 minutes

3. Spit it out and brush your teeth afterwards

Very simple, and that's it! Thanks for journeying with me.