Written by Adeline J. Wells
As the world continues to turn more towards alternative medicine, oil pulling has gained popularity as a key step in the everyday oral health routine. Drawing from the Indian system of Ayurveda, oil pulling is the technique of swishing oil around the mouth for the purpose of removing bacteria and toxins. Oil pulling can be done using a variety of different oils, such as sesame or olive, with coconut oil being one of the most popular. Deciding the best coconut oil for pulling can be a daunting task; there are a wide variety of products on the market to choose from, all boasting different qualities and attributes. It is important for users to do a little bit of research when choosing the best coconut oil for pulling.
What is Oil Pulling?
Dating back to ancient India, oil pulling has been used as a method to increase oral hygiene for thousands of years. While much of the bacteria in the mouth is healthy, normal flora, an excess of bacteria can lead to health issues. These can include plaque, bad breath, gum inflammation, and gingivitis. The swishing of oil around the mouth helps draw out the excessive bacteria that exists in the oral cavity, creating balance for the normal oral flora and resulting in cleaner, whiter teeth. After determining the best coconut oil for pulling for you, it is an easy, beneficial technique to incorporate into your oral health routine.
How to Oil Pull
Once you’ve decided on the best coconut oil for pulling for you, the process is very simple:
- Place one tablespoon of oil in the mouth
- Gently swish the oil around the oral cavity for ten to fifteen minutes
- Spit out the oil; follow with brushing or scraping the tongue if desired
It is often best to spit out the oil into a tissue to be thrown in the trash; depending on the type, spitting down the drain can easily lead to the oil solidifying and thus clogging drain pipes.
Benefits of Coconut Oil for Pulling
In addition to being one of the most popular, coconut oil is also one of the best oils to use for pulling. Derived from the coconut fruit, this oil is widely popular due to its mild taste and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties can help reduce one’s chances of developing gum disease, while coconut oil’s inclusion of lauric acid can help prevent and treat the occurrence of mouth sores. Coconut oil also contains sucrose monolaurate; reducing the development of glycolysis and oxidation of sucrose, this compound helps prevent the formation of plaque on the teeth. Additionally, coconut oil has been proven effective at preventing Streptococcus mutans, an acid-producing bacteria that leads to tooth decay and plaque buildup. Due to this culmination of anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, it’s no wonder that coconut oil is one of the most popular choices for oil pulling.
Refined vs. Unrefined Coconut Oil
With the wide range of products on the market, it can be difficult to decide upon the best coconut oil for pulling. As this technique poses the slight risk of ingestion, a high-quality, organic coconut oil is recommended as the best choice for pulling.
Coconut oil is often advertised as either refined or unrefined, which gives a bit of insight as to how the oil is produced. Refined coconut oil is oil that has undergone some additional processing after being extracted from the coconut meat. This processing can include neutralizing, bleaching, or degumming the oil, all of which can have an effect on the quality, color, and texture. The result is a highly processed coconut oil with a higher smoke point than normal; due to this, refined coconut oil is most often utilized for cooking with high temperatures.
Contrastingly, unrefined coconut oil, sometimes referred to as virgin coconut oil, is oil that has been pressed from coconut meat and hasn’t been submitted to any further processing. Generally possessing a strong coconut flavor and scent, this oil is in a solid state when kept at room temperature.
While refined coconut oil remains easy to use in its liquid form, the processing strips the natural oil of its micronutrients, which lend to the main reasons it’s utilized for pulling in the first place! Due to this, choosing an unrefined coconut oil is essential when deciding on the best coconut oil for pulling for you.
Our Pick: Organic Detoxifying Pulling Oil
At Mojave Desert Skin Shield, we have studied the history of Ayurveda and the benefits of different oils to create a combination product that includes the best coconut oil for pulling. Our Organic Detoxifying Pulling Oil uses a multitude of high-quality, organic ingredients with properties that cleanse, nourish, and freshen the mouth. With high concentrations of sesame seed oil and coconut oil, our product is very effective at purifying the oral cavity while also retaining the oils’ soothing properties. This unique combination of the best oils for pulling makes the Organic Detoxifying Pulling Oil a key component into anyone’s oral hygiene routine.
