WHY I LOVE OIL PULLING + HOW TO DO IT

In Ayurveda, the health of mind, body and spirit starts with a healthy mouth, which in turn facilitates good digestion — a core principle of this holistic system of well-being. That’s why ‘tongue tingling’ or tongue cleaning has become a regular part of my routine alongside another Eastern morning routine: oil pulling.

Oil pulling is an ancient Indian ritual which involves using cured sesame oil or herbalised oil/ blend of oils as a mouth cleanser. Oil pulling is said to help maintain the mouth’s natural pH and flora (beneficial oral bacteria) as well as promoting teeth and gum health, and preventing infections, when combined with regular tooth brushing and tongue scraping.

Modern science is just starting to observe its benefits and oil pulling is gaining popularity in the West. Read on to learn more about how to incorporate this simple practice into your daily routine or "Dinacharya" for a healthier you.

THE BENEFITS OF OIL PULLING

Swishing a natural oil in your mouth for 20 minutes each morning upon waking (or as often as you can manage) helps to draw out the harmful bacteria and metabolic waste from our mouths after the natural detoxification process of a good night’s sleep. During sleep, your body is busy clearing out Ama (metabolic waste in Sanskrit), some of which end up in and around the mouth and can give you that dreaded ‘morning breath’. Particularly visible first thing in the morning on the tongue as a grey, yellow or white residue which, as you can imagine, is better removed rather than re-ingested. Think of oil pulling as an Ayurvedic mouthwash, but much gentler and more nourishing than many synthetic commercial products which may contain alcohol and Chlorhexidine that has been proven to wipe out both good and bad bacteria, and create alterations in taste sensations and soreness in the oral mucosa. The physical action of oil pulling is also a mini-workout for your facial muscles and can help to loosen any tension around the jaw.

CHOOSING YOUR OILS

Traditionally, ‘cured’ sesame oil and herbalised sesame oil (I love this one by Earthern Living), and now more recently, coconut oil are the most common choices for oil pulling — I mostly use cured and herbalises sesame soils but sometimes alternate with coconut oil during the summer season as it has a cooling quality and if I’ve run out, can be the easiest oil to replace. Sesame oil is traditional all year round and coconut oil, as a cooling oil, is great for summer. If you like, you can also use an oil-pulling mouthwash like this one from Georganics who also do a charcoal one.

HOW TO DO IT

Oil pulling may sound intimidating, but it couldn’t be easier. Put about a tablespoon of oil in your mouth first thing in the morning after brushing your teeth and swish it around, drawing it back and forth through your teeth. If you can, have a little gargle as well. Do this for about 20 minutes while you go about your to-do list items. The oil will feel thick at first, but as it emulsifies and works with your saliva to clean the whole mouth area, it will become thinner and easier to move around and turn a milky white colour. 20 minutes might feel unachievable at first but you can build up to it — start with 5 minutes, then go onto 10 and so on. You’ll be able to do the full 20 minutes in no time which is a necessary part of the practice as the digestive enzymes in the mouth need time to break down the oil and activate it. When you’re done, spit the oil out into some kitchen roll and throw it in the bin to avoid build-up in the house pipes. Make sure you don’t swallow! The oil gathers up toxins, so you don’t want to re-ingest them. After brushing your teeth, you’ll feel like you’ve just come out of the dentists!

To read about tongue tingling, a complementary practice to oil pulling, visit this page. Both of these everyday habits are part of Dinacharya, the Ayurvedic daily routine, which gives you a chance to connect with your day-to-day health — if you look closely, the tongue will tell you if something’s off and you can then adjust your self-care and diet accordingly.

WHY I LOVE OIL PULLING + HOW TO DO IT

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