Can you eat after oil pulling? (1 Main Point)

In this brief guide, we will answer the question, can you eat after oil pulling? We will discuss aspects of oil pulling, including health benefits, risks, and the correct way to do it. 

Can you eat after oil pulling?

You can eat after oil pulling. After you do oil-pulling, rinse your mouth and brush. You can eat after you have rinsed and cleaned your mouth after oil-pulling.

How does oil pulling work?

Oil pulling is done because of its oral benefits and health conditions related to other parts of the body as well.

Oil-pulling improves oral health that includes protecting your gums and teeth. It reduces the risk of cavities and prevents bad breath.

Oil pulling generates anti-oxidants; that target harmful microorganisms and toxins and gets rid of them. The oil attracts the bacteria, and they adhere to it. Hence, it prevents bacterial co-aggregation and also hinders plaque formation.

It also wards off dental caries, gingivitis, periodontitis, and bad breath. Oil pulling moistens the mouth and the lips, hence, prevent dryness. 

Coconut oil and olive oil are the most preferred oils for oil pulling. Both of these oils have antimicrobial activity and anti-inflammatory properties.

Olive oil has vitamins A, E, and K. Antioxidants in olive oil combat gingivitis and plaque formation. 

If you use sesame oil, it too, possesses detoxification, antioxidants and, antibiotic properties. Sesame oil is effective against S. Mutans and L. acidophilus, which contribute to dental caries.

Oil pulling is originally the practice of Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurvedic medicine revolves around the perception that the tongue is connected to the kidneys, heart, lungs, small intestine, and spine. The branch of medicinal practice believes that oil-pulling pulls out toxins. The saliva helps to excrete heavy metal toxins, chemical toxins, bacterial toxins, and environmental toxins. 

Oil-pulling removes the toxins from the entire body through the tongue. While oil pulling can positively impact oral health; the hypothesis that it can cure ailments of the body is flawed. The tongue has oral mucosa, which is not a semipermeable membrane, thus renders the hypothesis void. 

Is oil pulling effective?

Some research has proven to be effective against gingivitis, plaque formation, and plaque-induced gingivitis by oil pulling using coconut oil. 

Sesame oil too was effective in plaque-induced gingivitis and colony-forming bacteria. The studies also proved that oil pulling was safe for both hard and soft tissues.

Oil pulling was also proven to be effective against halitosis, otherwise known as bad odor. 

How to perform oil-pulling?

Oil pulling is mouth rinsing with any beneficial oil, the most popular choice being coconut oil. 

Oil pulling can be done any time of the day. Some would advise you to do it in the morning or two to three hours after eating. Oil-pulling needs to be done on an empty stomach.

Take a tablespoon of coconut oil in your mouth and swish it around for twenty minutes. It might take some time to get accustomed to swishing oil for twenty minutes. If it seems difficult to carry the process for twenty minutes, you can work your way up gradually. Start by five minutes to avoid overtiring your jaw.

It takes around twenty minutes for oil-pulling to work effectively. You can perform oil-pulling anywhere between one to three times a day. 

After you complete oil pulling, be sure to spit it out. As oil draws bacteria and harmful microorganisms, it is unsafe for you to swallow it. 

Is oil-pulling safe for everyone?

Oil pulling is safe if you have a filling, treatments, or toothache. Oil-pulling is also safe for children, pregnant and nursing women.

For a child, you need less quantity of oil, only half a teaspoon of coconut oil.

For women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, oil-pulling is safe. It does not harm the baby in any way.

Can you use any other oil besides coconut oil for oil-pulling?

You can use olive oil or sesame oil. Olive oil is terrific at fighting inflammation, especially; if you use olive oil that is both organic and extra virgin, the benefits will be tremendous. 

If you do not want to use coconut oil due to its taste, you could add a few drops for essential oils. Essential oils are known to possess antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The most commonly used one is peppermint essential oil. You can also use orange, lemon, or cinnamon oil; to enhance the taste of coconut oil or improve the health benefits.

Every oil has its property; for infections, you could use a clove or tea tree. You need to add two or three drops of essential oil for every spoon of coconut oil.

In this brief guide, we answered the question, can you eat after oil pulling? We discussed some aspects of oil pulling, including health benefits, risks, and the correct way to do it. 

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Citations

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5198813/

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