Oil Pulling Therapy

[raw-al]

Can someone explain what this is?

[kurite]

In the morning on an empty stomach you take a tablespoon of oils like sesame or coconut (cold processed) and swish it in your mouth for 20 minutes. You also do this before sleep. Supposedly it helps detox. But a lot of people have said they get results with whiter teeth and getting rid of gum and teeth issues.

[raw-al]

OK that's a version of the oil gargling standard with Ayurveda.

Where do they get the title "pulling" from?

[turkish]

repackage and market. Basically pulls out toxins - hence pulling

[raw-al]

repackage and market. Basically pulls out toxins - hence pulling

LOL OK thanks

[turkish]

it works though. I do it often but not regularly.

[laterade]

thumbs up for oil pulling

I do coconut oil, aluminum free sodium bicarb, and a couple drops of oregano oil mixed in the mouth for 20-30 minutes

[mango]

does anyone know approximately how much coconut oil is absorbed by the membranes under the tongue when oil pulling for ~20 mins? i've started drinking a fair amount of herbal tea lately, many darker brews, and noticed my teeth have become significantly darker in just a few weeks.

prior to starting raw paleo i did not have good experiences when consuming coconut oil in my foods (whether it was raw or cooked into the food) and so was a bit concerned as to the amount of oil that may be absorbed into my body if i start doing this regularly.
i haven't had anything other than pure animal fat since i started RZC and was pretty set on maintaining that.

to those experienced with oil pulling, do you regularly swallow any of the oil by accident during those 20 mins if performing other tasks like showering or cleaning, etc?

[paper_clips43]

Raw butter is my favorite to oil pull with. You can also use olive oil. I used to do it a lot and still do occasionally. Yes I believe some is absorbed/swallowed and you can't really help it. Nothing I would be concerned about though.

[eveheart]

to those experienced with oil pulling, do you regularly swallow any of the oil by accident during those 20 mins if performing other tasks like showering or cleaning, etc?

I don't tend to swallow, but if I get absent minded, I've been known to spritz some oil out of my mouth.

If you are worried about ingestion of coconut oil, why not try a fat that's been liquified by chewing first. Just don't swallow the fat as it liquefies in your mouth. I haven't tried this, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

[raw-al]

The tea may be the source of discolouration also.

[jessica]

Shoot, for whatever reason my previous post didn't show up?

Anyhow.  The tea is the source of discoloration, and the oil pulling won't remove the stains.  In my experience coconut oil pulling just seemed to make my gums and tongue feel extra healthy.  To remove the stains I use a toothbrush dipped in calcium bentonite clay and lightly brush my teeth, the stains remove almost immediately.  It does not seem to be abrasive to the enamel, and I only need to do this once every week or two if I feel like.  I just brush briefly with water and toothbrush once a day otherwise and i have clean teeth and a healthy tongue and gums

[mango]

i started reading up on bentonite clay and it sounds PERFECT for my teeth!
will definitely pick some up tomorrow and try it out

thanks all for the quick replies!

[raw-al]

Mango,
I just posted a thread http://www.rawpaleodietforum.com/general-discussion/eating-clay-can-lead-to-anemia-as-well-as-parasites/ in which I mention that eating clay is apparently not a great idea as it will encourage anemia.

Also personally I avoid teeth brushing as it is basically just a way to erode your teeth. I'd rather have dark teeth than none. Same goes for dental teeth cleaning.

Cleaning doesn't make them healthier as was witnessed by Weston Price when he travelled to remote areas of the world and looked at the teeth etc of PPL who were not eating white man's food.

Some of these PPL had a thick green slime coating their teeth. But the teeth, jaws, and indeed skeletal structures were perfect. no overbite under bite etc.

[mango]

thanks al for your comments.
for the past year i've switched to a routine of water flossing and lightly brushing with water each morning. i find both to help remove the pieces of meat and fat that remain wedged in my back teeth, and brushing my tongue also helps to freshen my breath.
other than hand soap and coconut oil on dry skin, i don't use any other hygiene products. i personally wouldn't feel very hygienic if I stopped brushing/water flossing though.

i didnt plan to consume any of the clay for detox purposes but i've read other members having success with this. it would be interesting to learn more details on what exactly the ayurvedic text was referring to.

[raw-al]

Mango,

Not sure re: the clay as it is the first and only place I have seen it.

I also brush with water if I am going to a social occasion, just because everyone nowadays is so paranoid about hygiene.

I find that since I started eating raw, especially fats, my teeth seem to be healthy with no pain.

[jessica]

raw al, there might be a tiny bit of the clay absorbed by my mouth, but the intent is to very lightly brush and then spit it out.  i think the only reason you would have to worry about clay causing anemia is if you were to take it every day because i think the minerals that make clay sticky and slick would interfere with proper iron and other cofactor absorbtion.  which can happen if you are overeating anything.

 my teeth are also healthy and with no pain, but they did get pretty brown looking after years of drinking tea only brushing very lightly with water.  the only time they were in pain is when my weight was too low from blood sugar issues and my body started to eat its own parts, and also if/when I eat fruit or lemons, those seem to just eat away at my back molars. they have definitely stop degenerating and my teeth and gums seem stronger then they used to. 

like i said, it only takes a few light brushes and is easy to get the stains off, i am sure there would be some erosion of enamel if one where to brush like mad, so don't do that. 

[mango]

i purchased a 1lb container of the 'aztec secret' bentonite clay today. i am blown away with how amazing this stuff is!  just dipped my wet toothbrush directly into the dry clay powder a few times while lightly brushing over a 3 minute period. all the brown film literally disappeared from my teeth like magic!! i can't wait to do it another one or two times and get the remaining areas. 

to think all those years where i used 'crest whitestrips' and had to leave these plastic sheets on my teeth for 20 mins, twice a day, for 2 weeks. i can still remember the taste of that bleachy liquid dripping down my throat in those 20 minutes.  it grosses me out to think about how much of that toxic substance i must have accidentally ingested, lol  

for comparison, within 3 minutes of using the clay i got the results that the whitestrips took 7-10 days to show!

thank you jessica!!!!!!

can i ask how else you use the bentonite clay? i've read recommendations for everything under the sun and am eager to try it out on my face/hair, instead of the coconut oil that i use about once a week. also, do you consume it regularly for cleansing purposes?

[jessica]

Sweet, I am glad it worked!  That's the same kind I have, lol.  The only spots that I seem to  need it for now are in between my teeth, so I try to just spot brush/clay those once in a while.  I was really surprised how well it worked too though!  I thought I was doomed to have brown teeth, now they are pearly whites. 

I have a little jar of clay paste made up, it saved my sanity this summer as I was introduced to the prolific poison Oak out here in OR state.  It really helped to stop itching and also dry up the oils and blisters from the rash the plant inflicts.  It also helped to sooth the itch of bug bites.

I have used the clay in the past to help heal up injuries that I couldn't afford to get stitched up.  Like chopping off the tip of my finger or having my hand land on glass and cutting half way through my palm .  Just used alcohol to rinse them out, and then some oil of oreganol directly into the wound.  Sprinkle some turmeric and bandage tightly if it doesn't stop bleeding.  Once its healed up a bit internally and the wound is clean and trying to close, add a layer of the claypaste and hold the wound shut and let dry.  I made a really soothing and antibiotic paste out of honey and clay, adding some cayenne pepper to the honey is a great option. I've never had an infection and healed up open wounds that were extremely dirty when I got them (think just coming back from shoveling poop or birthing goats with super dirty hands) and continued said dirty farm work while keeping the wound a bit cleaner but definitely not "sterile".

I am sure there are a ton of other applications.

[Inger]

I do exactly like Jessica, since years. Love it! I do not need to do it often at all if I don't consume much wild greens, blueberries etc. that colors my teeth. I did the claybrushing months ago and still have pretty white teeths 

I absolutely recommend 

[sabertooth]

Brushing isn't necessary for me. My teeth are pearly white and I haven't brushed my teeth in this century.

Even when I ate sad food I would just clean my mouth out with my saliva after eating.

Now that I chew on connective tissue like chewing gum I don't even have to do that.  I chew up Animal fat mixed with flesh until the enzymes break it down and leave only pure white  connective tissue, after meals and that's all that is needed to give the teeth a nice polish.

[Inger]

I totally believe you, ST. I am brushing every morning and evening but not too long..lol My own N=1 is that your teeth health totally depends on your diet, and a high far raw animal food diet including everything on the animal is the top! 

I do need to floss, I do every day. But that is  mainly because of damage done with a high fruit raw diet and that my teeth are not ideal (too little space and not totally straight) because of too narrow jaw what I believe is from my mom eating mainly potatoes as she was pregnant with me