On Beauty: Swishing coconut oil around your mouth? What’s that all about?

If we are to believe the claims that have been reported about the act of oil pulling, then everyone should take it up immediately and “pull the toxins” from their body, leading to a cleaner mouth, whiter teeth, improved skin, fresher breath, clearer sinuses and myriad other health benefits.The internet is awash with claims of reduction in migraines and headaches, better sleep and relief from gingivitis.

Oil pulling is the act of swishing a tablespoon or so of oil around in your mouth for 20 minutes and then spitting the mixture of oil and saliva out into the bin. Do not swill that bottle of Crisp’n’Dry, however: the oil should ideally be pure and natural; coconut or sesame seed oil are preferred. And do not spit into the sink either unless you want to have to put in a call to the plumber, as the oil will block the drains.

This technique, a staple of Ayurvedic medicine, has been practised for thousands of years to cleanse and “detox” the body via the mouth. As these thousands of years largely went by without toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash or any of the props of modern dentistry, it was probably a good way of keeping the mouth clean and healthy at the time. But in the modern age, when we have access to dental floss and professional teeth-cleaning, can it really make any difference?

Well, actually, it seems as though it can. Many argue that the the act of swishing any liquid, even water, around the mouth can "pull" trapped food from between teeth, rummage out bacteria lurking in the mouth and flush out build-ups of calcified food hiding in tonsil crevices (tonsil stones). Getting rid of trapped bacteria like this will instantly leave you with fresher breath, but there is a case to be made for using oil, especially coconut oil, as your liquid of choice. Recent studies have shown the benefit of coconut oil in the prevention of tooth decay. It contains a high concentration of the antimicrobial ingredient lauric acid, which inhibits Strep mutans, the primary bacteria that causes tooth decay.

My personal experience has not been a huge success, mainly because I couldn’t stick with the programme. I hated the feeling of the solid blob of coconut oil melting on my tongue. I also hated swishing the oil around for so long that my jaw ached and I could not resist the urge to spit the whole mixture out after less than five minutes. Apparently this is a common reaction when you begin your oil-pulling adventure. Maybe I’ll go back and give it another try. Some time.

Twitter @aismcdermott

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