I am going to tell you a little secret, but don’t judge me! I have not been to the dentist since 2014. I am not proud of it. I used to get nervous going to the dentist and having cavities filled, but I was always a pretty tough chick and went in with my chin held high. That was until I had this root canal right before my wedding. Now, I can’t even think about going to the dentist without breaking out into a sweat. I just can’t do it. The only way I will consider going again is if they let my dog in with me, and until he is officially certified as a service dog, it ain’t happening. You probably think I am a big baby. I don’t care, I know I am. But that procedure lasted over eight hours, took three session, required over twenty shots of Novocain, and the dentist used antiquated barbaric procedures. Yeah, no thanks. Anyway, I have been able to keep my mouth healthy and clean from bacteria with a simple routine that I do in the mornings.
It’s called OIL PULLING!
It’s a thing folks. Indian cultures have used it for millennia to treat oral decay, cavities, brittle teeth and they claim it prevents bad breath and dry throat. It is even said to benefit over 30 systemic conditions. Woah that’s neat! Now, we are the western folks and we don’t implement anything until there is solid physical evidence that something works. This is a new concept for us so there isn’t a TON of research on it, BUT, there is some. And its promising. There is no denial that it plays a role in reducing harmful bacteria in the mouth. And even though I use coconut oil, the brains are saying it can be done with olive oil, sunflower oil, or even sesame oil.
What is this replacing?!
This Swap it is TWO FOLD! You can ditch that mouthwash/rinse and teeth whitening products.
In the grand scheme of things mouthwash and teeth whitening products are not the worst things for you. Sure, some of the ingredients aren’t the greatest for your health, but it’s not the number one toxic thing I want to see you toss in the garbage. The reason I would like to encourage you to swap it out for coconut oil or whichever oil from above you prefer, is the cost and the ADDED benefit. Not only are you killing bacteria in your mouth that cause all kinds of oral diseases, but you are making a pretty significant impact on your oral health. AND, you get a little teeth whitening happenin’ in the process.
How its done:
When you wake up in the morning, before you eat or drink anything, put a spoonful of coconut oil (or whichever oil you prefer from the list above) and swish it around for 20 minutes. Make sure you swish! It’s the movement of the oil in the mouth that collects all the bad stuff. Spit it out into the garbage because you do NOT want oil going down your drains! You know you did it right when it comes out like a cloudy milk kind of substance.
I do it about 4 days a week but of course a daily routine is best!
Ideally you would use Extra Virgin Organic, but really any will do. Most whole sale places sell a big tub of the organic extra virgin stuff so you should find it pretty easily!
If you REALLY want to take it to the next level:
Add some Thieves! Thieves has incredible sanitizing capabilities and if you missed my post on thieves last week, you can read it HERE!
Also, add some ORANGE oil! Yep! Orange will add an extra punch to the teeth whitening quality of the oil.
Make sure you use the Vitality line since they are marketed and produced for internal use!