Celebrities are known for trying out the weirdest diets and beauty procedures to get the perfect look (like Kim K‘s vampire facial or Katie Holmes‘ snail slime skin care….. ewww!). Some of us who are brave enough will venture out and give these fads a try while most of us, gasp, gossip with our besties about how ridiculous some of these are and move on with life till we come across the next quirky treatment. Oil pulling is the latest trend that seems to revolutionising the beauty world. It’s whats resposible for nature mama, Gwyneth Paltrow’s and our prime inspo, Kylie Jenner’s, flawless 100 watt smiles. No, it doesn’t involve a dentist and is barely invasive. Yes, it can be done in the calm of your home, is totally inexpensive and 100% Ayurvedic.
What Is Oil Pulling?
Oil pulling or oil swishing is a traditional Ayurvedic remedy where oil is swished or held in the mouth for 10-20 minutes. The oil supposedly draws bad bacteria and toxins from your gums and salivary glands and helps to prevent cavities, gingivitis and lessens bad breath and leaves your teeth pearly and impeccably white.
Aside from the dental benefits, oil pulling also boasts a whole heap of health properties from easing headaches and softening hangovers to relieving skin issues like psoriasis and eczema and also helps to clear sinuses.
How Does It Work?
In traditional Ayurveda, gargling treatments like kavala graha and gandusha are used to treat imbalances of various doshas or bioelements of the body. But as with any Ayurvedic treatment, there’s no real scientific proof of how it works. Some say that the oil attracts toxins in the same way that a magnet does, others say it’s the lipids in the oil that absorb the toxins, while a few others say claim that the mechanical action of swishing something gloopy around your mouth and in-between your teeth that swoops away bad bacteria.
How To Oil PullAll you need is a tablespoon of oil – olive, vegetable, sunflower, sesame or coconut oil, preferably organic. Pop a spoonful of it in your mouth and start swishing it around for 10-20 minutes depending on how long you can tolerate the sensation of oil in your mouth. Once your time is up, spit the oil out into a plastic bag or into the trash and not into your drain cause the oil will solidify again & could mess up your pipes. Then rinse your mouth out with water. Be careful not to swallow it and overdo the gargling.
Gwyneth and Shailene Woodly prefer to pull with coconut oil because of its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, & anti-inflammatory properties while Lindsay Lohan, Kylie Jenner and Bella Thorne swear by a pulling product called Cocowhite. But really you use any oil you have lying in your kitchen pantry. Or go with anything from Conscious Food’s Organic Cold Pressed Oil range. It’s inexpensive given that one 500ml bottle will easily last you a whole month.
The recent increased interest in all things natural and organic and it’s clear and noticeable results have firmly established Oil Pulling as a popular alternative medicine home remedy and there’s no reason for you to not give this a shot at least once. If you’re feeling that 20 minutes seems like a long time to devote from your hectic schedule, we recommend trying this first thing in the morning while you check your mails, snapchats and daily IGs. Don’t talk, just swish and we think you’ll find that it’s a relaxing way to start your day. We’re all working around the clock but it’s always worth taking that extra time out for yourself everyday. There’s nothing to lose here really. Its harmless and if nothing else, you’re most definitely going to feel a cleaner mouth and see a whiter and brighter smile.
Let us know if you’ve experimented with this fad and how it goes for you in your comments below. Most importantly, don’t forget to flash those pearly whites every chance you get 😀