This Worked Better Than I Thought

I went to the dentist last week for my regular cleaning.  I have a history of bleeding gums with a receding gum line, so quite a few years back I started taking better care of my teeth by flossing daily (yes, I was lucky if I did it once a week!) and cleaning my gum line.  Well, they didn’t get worse, but they didn’t improve either. 

I even had to bump up my teeth cleaning schedule to every 3 months as I couldn’t keep the calcified plaque under control despite my vigilant efforts.  The only worse part of having to go to the dentist more often is that it plain hurt when they scraped my teeth.  Was I supposed to feel like my teeth went through a roto rooter each time I had them cleaned?

Well, in a previous newsletter on oil pulling, The Ancient Latest Trend, I had talked about the benefits of oil pulling and how it may improve dental health.  Oil pulling is a traditional remedy that helps to cleanse the body by detoxifying and cleaning the gums and teeth with specific types of vegetable oils.  It works by “pulling” bacteria out of the gums and mouths which then attach themselves to the oil which is then spit out.

I had reported that I tried oil pulling every day for about 6 weeks.  The verdict was that there was less plaque and my cleaning schedule was decreased to twice a year as opposed to 4.  I was pretty impressed in that the only thing different I had done was the oil pulling.

Six months later (last week), I went back for a cleaning.  Admittedly, I was a little concerned that I would have to go back to a 4 times a year schedule as I wasn’t nearly as regular with the oil pulling.  I had started to forget and maybe did it once or twice a week.

Much to my surprise, my dental hygienist, Bernadette Shedosky reported even better gum tissue tone for this visit with no bleeding on probing.  The best part was that it didn’t hurt at all!

She explained that “if there is a pocket with bleeding and inflammation, there are small lesions in the pockets that allow bacteria to enter into the bloodstream.”

That was me less than a year ago.  That is like having little holes in the gum the size of a pin pricks that absorb bacteria and get into the bloodstream.  What does that mean?  Bacteria invading our bodies could translate to a host of problems from chronic diseases and infections, heart disease and anything that is a result of bacteria running rampant.

That’s where oil pulling comes in- it pulls the bacteria out of those crevices.  No bacteria, no creation of pockets, no pin prick holes with gum inflammation and finally, no bacteria going from the mouth that may flow into the rest of the body.

The best part was that it still seemed to work for me while not oil pulling every day.  It couldn’t be easier, too.  All you need is unrefined Sesame  oil, Sunflower oil or Coconut oil.  Sesame oil is recommended but many people prefer the taste of coconut oil  (which seems to whiten teeth as well).

First thing in the morning or late in the evening, on an empty stomach, take 1 Tablespoon of one of the above oils and just swish it around your mouth and in and out of your teeth for 15-20 minutes.  Do not gargle.  The goal is to swish the oil enough so that the oil pulls the bacteria from your gums.  Don’t let the oil just sit, keep swishing and do not swallow it.

Keep in mind that the oil will be filled with the bacteria you are trying to remove (however, if you swallow a little, don’t be alarmed, it will just get excreted in your feces.)  When you are done swishing, spit it out in the garbage (I spit it into a dixie cup first).  You don’t want to spit the oil into the sink as it will harm your pipes and there will also be bacteria in your sink.  Then, rinse your mouth, brush your teeth and use a tongue cleaner to clean your tongue.

Reduce your bacterial load in your gums (and in your body) and get an “A” on your next dental visit with this simple, inexpensive ancient remedy.