While many allopathic health practitioners probably give oil pulling little credence, it has long been an important part of the holistic system of medicine originating in India 3,000 to 5,000 years ago, called Ayurveda. Ayurvedic oral health practices include chewing woody stems of certain plants and eating specific herbs, as well as oil pulling. Original practitioners of oil pulling would use sunflower and sesame oils, while coconut and olive oil have gained popularity recently as well. Typically, one or a combination of these oils would be held or swished in the mouth for several minutes and then spat out and disposed of. The intention is to reduce buildup of oil soluble toxins from the mouth, as well as draw them out from the body. If your oil pulling routine has become a bit boring, consider adding one drop of pure therapeutic grade essential oil, such as peppermint or wild orange!

Nelson Meggitt, OptimumWellnessFactor.ca