Oil Pulling Bites
Oil pulling is the ancient practice of swishing oil around your mouth in order to improve oral hygiene and help prevent gum disease. The benefits of oil pulling are said to include a reduction in the amount of harmful bacteria and dental plaque in the mouth. Swishing the oil around your mouth allows the plaque to dissolve and get stuck in the liquid oil which can help reduce the number of bacteria and lead to better oral hygiene and an improvement in gum health.
Coconut oil is completely soluble with all essential oils and is frequently used in oil pulling. Other oils include sesame oil and sunflower oil. You could start off by using a tablespoon of coconut oil combined with one drop each of Cinnamon, Clove and Myrrh.
Oil pulling is not a replacement for brushing your teeth but is a great addition to your oral health care.
Its best to start with just 5 minutes a day, working up to 15-20 minutes. Swishing for 20 minutes is a long time but the longer you swish, the more bacteria you’ll remove. If your jaw starts to ache, slow down. Just gently swish the oil, pulling and sucking it through your teeth and gums is fine. It’s a good idea to brush your teeth afterwards to ensure that all the toxins in the oil are removed from your mouth.
Sylvia likes to do this first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
Ingredients
½ cup coconut oil
20 drops Cinnamon essential oil
10 drops Clove essential oil
5 drops Myrrh essential oil
Method
Melt the coconut oil gently but don’t let it overheat.
Mix in the essential oils, then pour into an individual silicone sweet mould. Use a scant two teaspoons per bite.
Place in the fridge to harden. Once hard, pop out of the mould and store in a glass jar. You may need to keep them in the fridge if the weather is warm.
The Verdict
Sylvia says:
“It’s certainly an odd sensation and I started off barely managing 5 minutes before my gag reflex kicked in. After a bit of practice, I managed 8 minutes, but this is probably my limit. I did this during my shower as I didn’t have to talk during the swooshing. Spit the oil into a tissue once you've finished. Avoid spitting it into the sink or toilet, as this can cause a build up of oil, which may lead to blockages. Rinse your mouth well with water before eating or drinking anything. I’ll try to do this once or twice a week as I like the flavour, its not too strong and my mouth feels clean after using it”.
Rina says:
“Even though I had read the Recipe for these oil pulling bites, I didn’t get around to actually trying them until I attended a presentation given by Dr Seb Lomas, a biological dentist. I was utterly fascinated with what Seb had to say about the ways in which we can influence our oral health using natural solutions. On top of the list was improving our oral hygiene by ensuring that our gums are as healthy as can be and that there is a balance of bacteria in the mouth. I made some of these bites and am now using them every other day. Although they are not intended as an appetite-suppressant, I have found that it’s quite handy to get stuck into oil pulling in the evening if I am tempted to snack!”
Sylvia asked her friend Adrienne to try them out as well and this is her review:
"I really love the flavour, much better that tasteless refined coconut oil or the coconut-ness of virgin coconut oil. I did a comparative pull with coconut oil, a few hours apart. I lasted five minutes with each, but for different reasons. With plain coconut oil, I just got fed up so stopped. With the pull tablet, I began to feel something was beginning to coat the back of my tongue, and soon after I noticed that, my gag reflex kicked in".