What coconut oil to use for oil pulling

Recently, one of our customers, Ms Alice Foo, called us excitedly recounting to us her dental visit. Her dentist had complimented her for her improved dental health of less cavities and dental problems. She sounded so happy over the phone. She had had dental problems for many years and it was only about 2 months ago that she started to oil pull with Virgin Coconut Oil every morning. She could not believe that oil pulling with VCO was THAT effective in alleviating her dental agony and improving her dental health.

So what is oil pulling? Originating from Ayurvedic medicine, oil pulling is an age-old healing therapy that uses organic vegetable oils to “pull” bacteria and other debris from the teeth and gums, thus cleaning the mouth of toxins such as heavy metals, parasites, pesticides, preservatives, additives, and environmental toxins. It cleans the mouth better than brushing your teeth or even using mouthwash. Oil pulling helps prevent teeth decay, oral malodor, bleeding gums, dryness of throat, and strengthen the teeth, gums, and jaws. And for those who agonize over your ‘yellowish’ teeth, oil-pulling has the bonus effect of whitening teeth naturally.

In an interview with Dr Bruce Fife, a naturopathic doctor and certified nutritionist, our mouths are teeming with billions of micro-organisms, and these micro-organisms enter into our bloodstream where they circulate throughout the entire body. So if a person has any dental issues (for example, bleeding gums), or tooth decay, these issues are like openings into the bloodstream where these bacteria can enter. Once in the bloodstream, these bacteria often colonize certain tissues of the body- some bacteria will colonize the joints, some bacteria will colonize the heart or the pancreas and so on. And when they do this, they cause inflammation, infections and problems in these areas of the body. This is why a person can develop arthritis due to an infection from the bacteria in the mouth. The basic truth is this – your mouth is a kind of gateway to overall health.

How do you oil pull?  Take a drink of water when you wake up in the morning to stimulate saliva (some people omit this step and still see results). Swish one or two teaspoons of Virgin Coconut oil around the mouth for 15-20 minutes each morning, before brushing your teeth and eating breakfast. If 20 minutes seem an awful long time, start with 5-10 minutes and then work your way up each day until you can hold the oil in your mouth for 15-20 min.  (The timing needs to be long enough to break through plaque and bacteria but not long enough that the body starts re-absorbing the toxins and bacteria, according to Dr Bruce Fife). You can do other things at the same time so that time passes quickly. Inside the mouth, the oil will get thicker as it is mixed with saliva. After around 15-20 mins, spit out the oil (into a trash can) as it is full of bacteria and toxins by now. Don’t swallow it! Rinse your mouth well with water, and then brush your teeth as usual. Repeat 3-4 times a week for best results.

Oil pulling may trigger the gag reflex in some people. If this happens, then try leaning your head forward slightly and use less oil.

Why use Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) for oil-pulling? VCO is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, has enzymatic properties and many health benefits! Furthermore, anecdotally, many people have reported whiter and brighter teeth when they oil pull with VCO.

So give Virgin Coconut Oil pulling a try – it is an inexpensive way to maintain and improve dental health, and even get whiter teeth along the way!

Ancient remedies of coconuts and their oils have been rediscovered in recent years shedding light on the numerous health benefits that these “fruits” provide to our overall well-being. Uses of coconut oil range from cooking, skin treatments, hair masks to so-called Oil Pulling.

Oil Pulling is an ancient remedy that is best done with coconut oil. A person will take a spoonful of coconut oil and swish it around their mouth for 15–20 minutes. Long story short, the fats from the coconut oil attract the gingivitis hiding in all nooks and crannies within the mouth when the time is up, the person will then spit the oil out of their mouth taking the gingivitis with it. This process is known for many health benefits including whitening teeth, killing bad breath, helping build enamel and many more.

But one of the most important questions comes up during the time of the purchase; how do I pick the healthiest coconut oil? Why are there different prices?

What is Refined Coconut Oil?

When looking to purchase coconut oil for any of the reasons above it’s important to select the right kind. The first choice is deciding which category of oil to use; refined or unrefined.

When searching a grocery store, or health store the majority of coconut oils will be refined. Refined coconut oil is usually odourless with no taste, having certain elements removed during the processing. This type of coconut oil is perfect for cooking because it can handle higher cooking temperatures. Refined coconut oils do not offer the same health benefits as unrefined, but are still a great source of fatty acids. Next, learn what unrefined coconut oil is and why we should use it for Oil Pulling.

Oil Pulling with Unrefined Coconut Oil

Unrefined coconut oil is more popular when focusing on the benefits of a person’s overall body. When examining a package of unrefined coconut oil the label should include “virgin” within the name. The unrefined virgin or extra virgin coconut oils are made from fresh coconuts that only had the first pressing. This means that no additional alterations, pressings, or chemicals were added to the coconut.

Why is this important for Oil Pulling?

When creating our product at PerlaCoco we recognized the difference and researched ingredients best for our brand. We wanted to produce a high-quality product that would yield the most beneficial results for your oral health.

Perlacoco is proudly made with organic extra-virgin coconut oil (unrefined) that is simply pressed and packaged retaining its original nutrient content, color, and flavor. This oil is the best choice for oil pulling as it helps prevent acid-producing bacteria in the mouth otherwise leading to tooth decay and the corrosion of the enamel. The many micro-nutrients in unrefined oil help rid the mouth from these bacteria, also known as Streptococcus Mutans.

Oil Pulling usually takes between 14 to 28 days to attain dramatic results, however, many who have tried oil pulling start feeling a difference after just a couple of days. PerlaCoco not only whitens your teeth but also improves your overall oral health. We would love to invite you over to our page to take a look at our Mint flavor plans!

Should I use refined or unrefined coconut oil for oil pulling?

What's the best oil to use for oil pulling?

Can you use regular coconut oil for pulling?

Do you use solid or liquid coconut oil for oil pulling?