I’m a big fan of oil pulling. I’ve shared before how I started this age-old practice and why I started oil pulling with coconut oil instead. I decided to give my oral routine an upgrade with these coconut oil pulling chews with essential oils!
Coconut Oil Pulling Benefits
Not familiar with oil pulling? It’s simply swishing oil (usually sesame or coconut oil) in your mouth, then spitting it out in the trash. There’s some research, and plenty of anecdotal evidence, that shows it can reduce plaque. Coconut oil is also naturally a mild antibacterial and can help keep oral bacteria in check.
Coconut oil pulling for teeth is an old practice, but more people are starting to pick it back up. How long you swish the coconut oil depends on your tolerance, but 5-20 minutes is a good goal. So how often do you do coconut oil pulling? I aim for once a day, or at least several times a week.
What kind of coconut oil you use also plays a role. I recommend using organic, virgin (or unrefined) coconut oil. MCT oil will also work.
Oil Pulling With Coconut Oil For Teeth
The idea is that the oil can reach and help remove harmful substances in the mouth, like bacteria and plaque. Unlike alcohol-based mouthwashes and toothpaste, oil may be able to get to hard to reach parts of the gum. And the naturally antibacterial properties of oils like coconut may help break down bacteria.
Many report their teeth and gums feel much cleaner when regularly using oil pulling. Others notice bad breath goes away. Personally, I saw less gum swelling and plaque on my teeth. My dentist even commented how clean and plaque-free my teeth were after I added oil pulling to my oral health routine.
While oil pulling isn’t a miracle cure, there’s a good chance it promotes healthier teeth and gums. Especially if used in combination with other good oral health practices. If you want to read more, I’ve written about coconut oil pulling in more detail here.
Coconut Oil Pulling With Essential Oils
These coconut oil pulling chews were inspired one day when I made homemade chocolate in little molds. I realized I could make my routine simpler by making bite-size oil pulling chews.
Adding essential oils like peppermint, clove, and tea tree improve the taste and the health benefits. My favorites so far are mint and clove. Just make sure that the oils you choose are safe for oral use and don’t interact with any of your meds or health conditions.
Here are some essential oils that work well with oil pulling:
I keep these chews in the fridge so they maintain their shape. Keeping them cool also helps with the texture at the beginning. For my kids who have trouble with the texture of coconut oil, keeping these in the fridge so they can “chew” them first helps a lot.
Coconut Oil Pulling Chews
Equipment
Materials
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 20-30 drops essential oils
Instructions
- Melt the coconut oil until just barely liquid.
- Remove from heat and add the essential oils.
- Pour into silicone candy molds and put in the fridge or freezer to harden.
- Once hardened, remove from the molds and store in a jar.
- Use one chew per day as needed for oil pulling.
Notes
- Want a pre-made essential oil blend? I love this Balanced Mouth Blend from Wellnesse.
- The molds I used held about 2 teaspoons each. If your molds are a little smaller or larger than mine then you’ll get a different yield.
Other Healthy Mouth Recipes
I’ve always been fascinated by oral health. I was even able to use a combination of diet, supplements and oral health products to reverse a cavity. Since then I’ve made these methods a priority for our whole family. These are some of the other recipes and methods we use:
- Homemade remineralizing toothpaste
- Squeezable homemade toothpaste
- Natural whitening toothpaste
- Simple whitening toothpaste recipe
- Herbal homemade mouthwash
Ever tried coconut oil pulling? How did it work for you? Leave a comment and let us know!
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