Misconceptions of Oil Pulling and Your Dental Health
Posted on: 9 September 2015
Oil pulling is something you may have seen on social media, heard about from your dentist, found in natural health blogs, or in natural health stores. You may have researched on how to do oil pulling and what you need to do it properly. What you may not know is that some of the information out there about this procedure is based on misconception and confusion. Before you move forward with an oil pulling addition to your dental health routine, consider these misconceptions and the truth about each one.
No Brushing Required
When you first learn about oil pulling, you may be under a misconception that you don't have to brush your teeth following the oil pulling process. The truth is, you do need to brush your teeth to begin removing the debris and to remove the oil that may be left after rinsing. The ideal routine is to perform the oil pulling by placing a tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth and swishing the oil for around twenty minutes.
After the time is up, spit out the oil and rinse your mouth. Use a toothbrush and your normal toothpaste to continue cleaning the teeth, and rinse again as normal. If you have sensitive teeth, visit a dentist to discuss what part of the process may be causing increased sensitivity and how you can fix it.
All Bacteria is Removed
There is a huge misconception that oil pulling removes all bacteria from your mouth leaving your mouth clean and free of debris. The truth is that oil pulling will help to pull the bacteria, debris, and other cavity causing particles away from your teeth so you can spit it out. The idea is that oil pulling is easier on the enamel than brushing while getting roughly the same job done. It doesn't remove all the bacteria, and you may find that rinsing with an anti-bacterial mouthwash will help kill what is left behind.
Daily Use is Required
There is very little information on how often someone needs to actually go through the oil pulling process to achieve their desired results. It depends greatly on the results you want, such as reduced bacteria or teeth whitening, and how severe your current dental situation is. Daily use, however, does not seem to be required so much as routine use and sticking to that routine.
These are only three of the misconceptions floating around regarding oil pulling. If you have questions about how oil pulling may help your dental routine, ask your dentist. They can give you the pros and cons for your specific issues and help you choose methods and schedules that may work with your routine.
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