Hey Loves!
As I am sure you understand if you have been following Mynt Lynx's blogs, all of the information that is shared to help us all remain healthy is a product of tried and true experience. Well, there is nothing different here, so let me tell you how I got introduced to Oil Pulling and why I feel it can be a great addition to a morning routine to help maintain balance.
In my early thirties, I had a crazy addiction to Lifesavers Wintergreen Candy (I'm quite sure that was a contributing factor to my hormones being off-balance in those days). I used to buy a bag of those candies everyday and CHEW on them back to back. It was SO bad. As you can imagine, my teeth were affected as well, and when my dentist reported to me I had 6 cavities, (when up until that point I had only has 2 in my life), I was completely SHOOK.
Everything probably would have went like it normally does with normal people, with me getting my cavities filled and moving on with my life...until he told me the cost of getting the fillings, and in one case, an on-lay. He estimated the treatment plan at $5,000! That was extremely difficult for me to swallow, as my largest dental bill to that date may have been $150 at the most.
I ended up getting one filling, and scheduling the rest later. However, at the first appointment, while speaking with the dentist, something he said struck me...."many effects of the body can be reversed if the right treatment is followed, however tooth decay isn't one of them.
Right then I said....SAYS WHO? (Like I do with everything Doctors tell me LOL).
I began to research tooth decay and whether or not it was reversible, and that's when I discovered oil pulling.
WHAT IS OIL PULLING?
So apparently, Oil Pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic technique for oral health. Ayurvedic techniques are 3,000 years old and a traditional way of healing the body whose roots are based in India.
It calls for taking sesame seed oil, (chosen because of it's high nutrient value), putting a comfortable amount in your mouth and slowly swishing around your teeth, and your gums for 20 minutes, then discarding.
It initially sounded a little off, however the science made sense to me. Our mouth holds over 600 different types of bacteria. The bacteria is in on the tongue, throat, cheeks, palates, esophagus, etc. The oral cavity includes the sinus cavity, nasal passages and ear cavities. The overgrowth of these bacteria, left unchecked, leads to tooth decay, periodontics, gingivitis, strep throat, and a host of other issues. The bacteria in our mouth has a lipid membrane, and is attracted to the lipid structure of the oil. This allows the oil to pull bacteria out places within the mouth where the oil is swished.
I began to use it every morning for 20 minutes while I did my morning prayers, so it was easy to incorporate into my routine. I noticed that when i would wake up congested or if I had a headache, after I finished pulling it would go away. I also liked to use it when I felt a cold coming on, as I noticed the oil seem to grab and pull the mucus out my throat easing my congestion. OH, AND IT WHITENS YOUR TEETH BEAUTIFULLY!!!
When I went back to visit the dentist, he said the filling seemed to be holding and not getting larger, even after not seeing him for a year. When I saw him the year after, he was amazed as he said the decay seemed to be eliminating itself and the enamel seemed to be regenerating.
I haven't had a filling or any major dental work since I began oil pulling. Research also says oil pulling can also be great for acne and allergies. There are some who pull with coconut oil as well, as it has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, so don't be afraid to try that as well. If you do decide to incorporate this into your routine, just remember a couple things:
-Work your way up to 20 minutes if you can't deal at first, it'll become easier
-Discard of the oil in your mouth in the toiler or trash so the oil won't clog pipes
-Once done, the oil will become thin and white, as it will be full of bacteria
Hope you enjoy this health hack, hopefully it will help you keep the dentist out your pocket as it did for me!
Stay beautiful my friends,
Love Charly!