The simple yet highly beneficial method of cleansing your mouth that can help detoxify your entire system.
Since your mouth is the repository of a tremendous amount of bacteria that can impact different areas of your body, it’s no surprise that researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, emphysema, hepatitis C, obesity, and stroke can be linked to gum and dental problems.
Dentists who practice holistic and biological dentistry believe that each tooth is connected to an organ.
If that tooth has a root canal, is decayed (even under a crown that X-rays don’t pick up), is an implant, or even has been pulled—leaving behind a cavitation (hole in the jawbone)—you can experience a whole host of health challenges in the associated meridian line of that tooth.
As Hal Huggins, pioneering mercury-free, biological dentist extraordinaire once said, “How many people know the consequences of housing the 40 anaerobic bacteria in implants, the 60 in root canals, or the 8 in cavitations? How many know the adverse consequences of trying to fight these microbes with antibiotics? Should you be told the consequences or just accept the fact that dentistry has raised the requirement bar of 30 million root canals per year up to 60 million per year?” Dr. Huggins firmly believes that root canals are related to serious diseases—MS, leukemia, and even breast cancer.
Source: Dr. Ralph Wilson, Naturalworldhealing.com Download a PDF version of chart here.
So since the oral cavity/body health connection is becoming indisputable, it may be helpful to include oil pulling as part of your daily oral hygiene habits. At the very least, it may help to dramatically clear up gum infections.
So powerful it beats mouthwash and toothbrushing benefits 2:1!
Oil pulling, a time-honored Ayurvedic technique, works wonders for deep pockets in the gums that harbor bacteria and inflammation-causing plaque. Used for years by those who have embraced an Ayurvedic healing approach, a relatively recent 2007 study in the Journal of Oral Health and Community Dentistry found that this simple method reduced gingivitis by 52 to 60 percent and cut plaque by 18 to 30 percent!
By the way, oil pulling also beat both mouthwash (which reduces gingivitis by 13 percent and plaque by 20 to 26 percent) and brushing (which reduces gingivitis by 8 to 23 percent and plaque by 11 to 27 percent).
And this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Simply put, this quick and easy morning practice will support the health of your entire body.
Here’s what to do:
- Put about 2 teaspoons of oil (such as sesame oil or coconut oil) in your mouth.
- Work the oil around in your mouth for 20 minutes, sloshing it from side to side, sucking and pulling it through your teeth. You can spit it out intermittently but make sure you put more oil back in your mouth to continue the process. (Check your emails, bounce on a rebounder, do some “silent” chores to make the time fly by.)
- Spit it all out (either in the sink or in a jar, if you have a septic tank) and rinse with a large glass of water to remove any oil residues.
According to Dr. Bruce Fife in his book Oil Pulling Therapy, “When you put oil in your mouth, the fatty membranes of the microorganisms are attracted to it. As you swish the oil around your teeth and gums, microbes are picked up as though they are being drawn to a powerful magnet. Bacteria hiding under crevices in the gums and in pores and tubules within the teeth are sucked out of their hiding places and held firmly in the solution. The longer you push and pull the oil through your mouth, the more microbes are pulled free. After twenty minutes, the solution is filled with bacteria, viruses, and other organisms.”
This is why it’s so important to spit it out rather than swallow it!
You can also improve gum health with CoQ10, which heals gum tissue faster than any other nutrient I know. Japanese research shows that taking 30-90 mg daily is extremely helpful with bleeding gums, deterioration of the gums, and loosening teeth. Your heart will thank you, too. I personally recommend a daily dose of 100 mg.
For more novel and simple approaches to health and seasonally-based detox, check out my book Fat Flush for Life: The Year-Round Super Detox Plan to Boost Metabolism and Keep the Weight off Permanently.
