By Mary Beth Gonzalez, iVillage.com
Yes, please come Oil Pulling with me... what is that you ask? Oil Pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic homeopathic treatment for detoxification in which you swish a teaspoon of cold pressed, organic sesame oil in your mouth for 15 minutes first thing every morning before you've eaten and then spit it out (into the toilet, not the sink, to avoid blocking up the pipes).
This oil treatment allegedly pulls toxins out of the blood as it circulates through the thin lining of the mouth. Hundreds of websites recommend Oil Pulling as a wonder cure and hundreds de-bunk the theory. Some claim the simple technique reverses everything from constipation to heart disease to snoring to diabetes to wrinkles to cancer to insomnia to skin disorders and more. I'm not here to take sides in the debate or analyze the results of those who oil pull. But I've got 15 minutes a day to devote to science to check it out for myself.
Cancer cures aside, many of the folks who have tried Oil Pulling claim to have whiter teeth within days. Visibly whiter, clean teeth after just a few swishes!?! In a world where folks pay $600 to whiten and brighten their teeth with harsh chemicals while stuck in the dentist's chair, I figure paying $6.99 for a bottle of sesame oil fits my green lifestyle and wallet much better. Who doesn't want a safe, easy, inexpensive, non-toxic, natural, teeth whitener?
So I've asked 5 people who see me everyday to take a good long look at my teeth up close. And together we will monitor their whiteness over the next 2 weeks. I promise to stick with my typical meat and veggie diet (no blueberry pie!) and continue to use the same natural toothpaste throughout this experiment.
And I welcome you to do the same. Come take my "Oil Pulling Challenge", and we'll share our results. One small swish for science... one large leap for teeth-kind!
Mary Beth Gonzalez
iVillage.com
Please join my Going Green group and read my Green Blog
My Day 3 Results:
Many of you have reached out to let me know that you are giving this a try. Here are my own results after 3 days of swishing:
- I cannot seem to swish for a full 15 minutes...maximum has been 9 minutes before I gag! But each day has gotten easier.
- My gums have bleed when I have brushed my teeth after the treatment. Each day they have bleed less. I've read that those are the toxins being released so it is a good thing...
- My teeth do appear stronger and indeed whiter...at least my doorman (one of my Friend Five) thinks so!
(FYI, My husband started this treatment a week before I did and he has seen clear results...his teeth were whiter within days)
MB
My Day 6 Results:
So I missed a swish on day 5 but in general, I'm finding this experiment easy to conduct. I'm noticing healthier gums and a brighter smile. And call me crazy but I think my skin is cleaner and smoother...
MB
My Day 14 results:
OK. I gave this a shot and after 14 days, I'm done. Yes, my teeth look a shade whiter, and one of my Fab Five thinks my hair is shinier but honestly, it wasn't worth the effort. Even 15 minutes of silent swishing in the morning was a bit taxing on my morning routine. So I'm back to waking up and sipping my green tea in the morning and loving every slurping minute.
MB