Most
adults have some symptoms of gum disease, even if just mildly. There is a huge
market in the business of teeth whitening. A lot of money is spent on
over-the-counter teeth whitening products annually. So what if you could whiten
your teeth and kill cavity and disease-causing bacteria at the same time? You'd
sign up straight away, we all would. That's the theory behind the practice of
oil pulling; rinsing your mouth with oil daily will give you: whiter teeth, a
healthier mouth and a healthier body.
Despite
what's trending on the Internet, oil pulling isn't new; it's actually part of
the tradition of Ayurvedic medicine. Unlike the Western style of medicine most
of us are accustomed to, Ayurveda follows a more holistic approach to healing
the body, tailoring remedies for your body type and constitution and generally
focusing on preventing disease. It's been practiced for more than 5,000 years in India.
Using
oils on and in the body is not an unusual practice in Ayurvedic medicine; oils
are used as part of a daily routine called dinacharya (as a part of daily
morning massage, as well as a remedy for sore joints or irritated skin). So
it's not a surprise to find traditional Ayurvedic writings mention swishing or
retaining oil in your mouth practices called Kavala Graha and Gandusha as a way to prevent oral health problems such
as bad breath (halitosis), cavities and gum disease (gingivitis). Kavala Graha
and Gandusha differ slightly, but they're considering gargling methods rather
than pulling. Gandusha involves filling your mouth with oil and holding it
there for 3 minutes before spitting. Kavala Graha involves swishing with oil
for 3 minutes before gargling and spitting.
You can
use organic sesame seed oil, coconut oil or sunflower oil.
Oil
pulling requires only a tablespoon of oil and 20 minutes of your time. The idea
is to suck – or pull the oil between your teeth while you rinse with it. Spit
out the leftover oil, it will turn white and slightly foamy into the bin (don't
spit oil in the sink) rinse and check out those pearly whites.
Patients
with greater numbers of bad bacteria in their mouths are more likely to be
diagnosed with atherosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries, in the neck -source:
Griffin. And it's not just heart health that's affected. Limited studies have
found an association between the number of teeth you've lost and your risk of
developing certain cancers: Gum disease is associated with a 30 % greater risk
of blood cancers, a 49% greater risk of kidney cancer and a 54 % greater risk
of pancreatic cancer in adult men -source: American Academy of Periodontology.
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