Oil Pulling Voodoo

I have a pretty ridiculous faith in Pinterest. If Pinterest claims that doing something will have any positive affect on my health, beauty, lifestyle, or diet...odds are, I won't even weigh the possible side effects...I'll just give it the good ol' college try. I should be really embarrassed to admit that...but...truth is, I have only a few Pin-strosities that make me question the DIY suggestions, recipes, or new weirdo techniques. And if the internet says it's true...well, then it must be! ;)

A few months ago, I came across a pin claiming that "oil pulling" would all but change my life. During my 3am nurse session with Harrison...and Pinterst browse...my clouded mind was immediately intrigued by the claims of a healthier mouth, whiter teeth, clearer sinuses, fewer migraines, reduced allergy symptoms, and more and more and more. Check out a full list at PositiveMed.  It's quite ridiculous. 

Basically, you just swish a tablespoon of a quality oil in your mouth for 15-20 mins and then spit it out. And that's it.

My initial thoughts:

1. 15-20 minutes...who can possibly swish anything for that long. Ridiculous.

2. Yeah...coconut oil is going to make my teeth whiter. Ridiculous. 

3. There is NO WAY any oil can do ANY of those claims. Ridiculous.

I kept seeing things about oil pulling in almost all of my social media news feeds. I started to soften to the idea until I got to the point of saying...hey, it clearly won't kill me to try. Plus, this would ensure I couldn't talk to anyone for 15-20 minutes and that means that I might get left alone for 15-20 minutes...definitely worth the try.

I already use coconut oil quite a bit in my beauty routine so it was already at my sink...just staring at me...begging me to try it. So, one morning while getting ready for work, I scooped up a bit and stuffed it in my mouth. Swishing as if it was mouth wash, I pushed the oil through my teeth and around the sides of my mouth. I jumped in the shower and started going through my typical morning routine. When the time came to brush my teeth, I spit the oil in the trash can and rinsed with water...immediately, my mouth felt cleaner. 

What the what!?!?!?!?!?!

So for the next week, I kept oil pulling in my routine. I'm not going to even speculate that oil pulling is doing anything that the hundreds of websites claim...but...my mouth feels good, my teeth look a bit whiter, and my dental appointments are stellar. Sold. 

Last week, I took it up a notch and added a drop of orange essential oil, because again...Pinterest told me it would be awesome. And once again, Pinterest was right. I don't love the taste of coconut oil but I powered through because I liked the way my mouth felt after...but with the orange oil, I completely miss out on that funky taste. Winning.

Should you feel the need to give this a try, I have a few suggestions:

1. Coconut Oil is the shizz...but remember that it will harden so don't spit it down your sink drain. Consider spitting in a trash can or the toilet.

2. Don't swallow or let the oil touch the back of your throat. One of the claims is that oil pulling is actually pulling some of the bacteria out of your mouth and assisting in your detoxing...so you don't want to chance swallowing that nasty.

3. The 15-20 minutes isn't easy at first...but it does get easier. You can do it!

4. A tablespoon is A LOT at first so maybe build up to it. Again, you can do it!

5. Don't forget to rinse with water after. This just helps ensure all the nasty doesn't hang around in your mouth. 

Again, I have NO clue if oil pulling is living up to the claims or if it has any true health or scientific benefits...but I love the 15-20 minutes each morning that I have to be quiet...plus my mouth feels awesome. So it's official, I'm a legit crazy person now blindly believing in the oil pulling voodoo.

If you decide to give it a try...Happy Pulling!