Our Beauty Senior Account Executive, Amber, tried and tested the ancient beauty ritual of oil pulling. Here were her findings:
Keeping my teeth white is an endless vicious circle as I pride myself on being a self-confessed coffee junkie, indulging in one a day (normally lattes to make sure I’m not damaging my enamel as much!).
Over the last couple of years there has been much discussion in the press of the advantages this natural beauty ritual has on oral health and teeth whitening. I thought I would give it a shot and trial the trend for a month since many celebrities including Kylie Jenner, Gwyneth Paltrow and Miranda Kerr are allegedly fans of the daily ritual. Trust me, I’m not so naïve in thinking this is all they do to achieve that Hollywood smile!
So what is oil pulling?
Simply put oil pulling is when you swish a tablespoon of virgin coconut oil in your mouth for around 20 minutes a day before brushing your teeth. The hailed coconut oil is supposed to draw out all the bad oral toxins from your mouth and help remove any staining.
It is a very bizarre sensation as the coconut oil feels solid and thick at first but gradually becomes warmer and more fluid the more you swish it around your teeth. I would mostly do oil pulling while I was indulging in my evening shower as I wouldn’t need to talk to anyone and it protects my roommates ears from my terrible singing voice.
After researching a lot on the subject it is very important to not swallow the coconut oil, as all that bad bacteria you have accomplished to eliminate will end up in your gut. You should also try to avoid spitting the used coconut oil down drain holes as oil can solidify and cause blocked pipes. You always have to make sure to dedicate twenty minutes before your bedtime to the daily ritual or else your efforts will be ineffective. Also if you are a chatterbox this may be a bit more of a challenge for you as the swishing movement will prevent you from having a natter!
The Verdict
I wouldn’t entirely discount this beauty practice as the actual action of swishing the oil around your mouth does feel like it is working by removing the bacteria hidden between your gums. However I wouldn’t say I saw an obvious whiteness to my teeth, although I do openly confess to not ditching my coffee fix! It was also a fairly high maintenance beauty ritual to maintain each day so possibly not the most convenient for those beauty addicts out there in a rush! So for now I think I will stick to my coffees and invest in an alternative and less time-consuming teeth whitening method.