Oil Pulling

Oil pulling. This bizarre beauty craze has been all over the internet with celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow and Shailene Woodley swearing by this technique. But what exactly IS it? Oil pulling may be all the rage at the minute, but it’s been around for years. 3,000 years in fact – this ritual is an ancient Indian method that involves swishing a natural oil such as coconut or sunflower, around your mouth to improve oral health.

The effects of oil pulling are said to whiten teeth, reduce plaque and ?pull? excess bacteria from your gumline. As if that wasn’t enough oil pulling has also been known to clear up skin conditions, help with sinus ailments and banish headaches. Couple this with how cost-effective the process is and it’s no wonder everyone is raving about it!

So, how do you actually ‘oil pull’? To kick it off you swish a couple of tablespoons of a vegetable based oil around inside your mouth for 20 minutes, then spit it out into the bin and rinse your mouth out well. The lipids in the oil combine with your natural saliva to pull the toxins out of your mouth. Timing is essential as apparently oil pulling for any longer than 20 minutes can cause the toxins to be re-absorbed by your mouth – eeek!

The only downside is that you have to sit with a mouth full of warm oil for 20 minutes without speaking? and 20 minutes is nigh on an eternity with a mouth full of oil. We’re going to be brave and try it this weekend.

Let us know how you get on, too. Is this too good to be true or brilliant?

Megan Daly @__MissMeg__