How to do “Oil Pulling”
by Karen Robinson
Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic technique that’s becoming very popular recently for dental and gum health. Actually, all mouth-related problems may benefit from this simple procedure, and many people find that they notice all kinds of other benefits they didn’t expect.
I’ve been asked many questions about how to do it, so I’ve compiled some detailed instructions.
BUY:
•Unrefined, cold-pressed sesame oil or sunflower oil (sunflower has less taste, but some people like the taste of sesame)
•Unrefined salt like Real Salt, Celtic Salt or Himalayan Crystal salt
•Unscented pure vegetable oil soap (without added glycerin) like Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap (peppermint is good) or a pure olive oil bar soap. “Tooth Soap” is great, but I think unnecessarily expensive, a matter of personal choice.
First thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, take 1 tablespoon of oil in the mouth, and swish and pull it through the teeth gently, not vigorously, in a comfortable way, for 10-15 minutes.
If you have the urge to swallow, take a deep breath (through the nose!) and that sometimes stops the urge. If you really need to swallow, go ahead and swallow just from the back of the throat, keeping the oil in the front of your mouth.
If it becomes too unpleasant, spit out and try again another day. It can be unpleasant at first when you’re not used to it, but soon won’t be bothersome at all, just like brushing your teeth.
When the oil has become saturated with the toxins it has pulled out, it will become white and a milky consistency. You don’t want to spit out until the oil has become white. Each time you oil pull, it can take a different amount of time to get to that point, so 15 minutes is a general rule of thumb, but you can experiment with this.
Best to spit out into the toilet, since the oil can eventually clog up the sink. Then immediately rinse the mouth with warm salt water. Salt water rinsing isn’t absolutely necessary, but is very helpful.
Then brush teeth very thoroughly with the olive oil soap. If using bar soap, swipe the brush across the bar (then rinse the bar to keep it clean). Brushing with soap isn’t bad at all - toothpaste foams up in the mouth even more than a little soap does, so we’re really used to the foaming feeling. (Do NOT use toothpaste!)
I use a pure olive oil bar soap with no glycerin added. “Kiss My Face” brand olive oil soap is easy to find. I then add a drop of esssential oils to the brush, and I like “Tooth and Gum Elixir” from Uncle Harry’s.
You can do the oil pulling every morning if you like. It can be powerfully detoxifying, so you might want to take a break sometimes. There’s no rule about frequency - judge according to your body’s own signals.
Walk in Beauty,
Linda
www.apathtowholeness.net
www.natureshealinggrace.blogspot.com