I'm Oil Pulling?

So I've decided to try out a natural oral care regiment starting with oil pulling. I plan to add other natural oral care techniques to my routine but one at a time. My hope is to share with you all how it goes for me so you can get a first hand look that isn't selling anything - most of the post I've seen talking about oil pulling are from companies or people who have been doing this for years. I'm just starting and if you are thinking of starting or curious about what its like, here you go:

What is Oil Pulling?

Oil Pulling is the act of swishing oil in your mouth, between your teeth, for a certain amount of time (usually recommended about 20 minutes) in order to detox the mouth and the body.
Why does this work?
The mouth is both one of the biggest places we take in toxins (through food, drink, air, etc) and one of our biggest places of detox. In the morning, many of us have a bad taste in the mouth, a filmy feeling, or even just junk on our tongue. This is all signs of detox from a night of fasting while we sleep. One of the worst things you can do is get a big swig of water because that would just wash all those toxins back into the body.
Oil pulling does what the name says, you pull the oil between your teeth and along your gums and it pulls the toxins into itself so that when you spit, the toxins go out, not in.

*Benefits of Oil Pulling

Whitens teeth
Improves breath
Soothes bleeding gums
Believed to reduce inflammation.
Shown improvement in acne, Keratosis Pilaris, Psoriasis and Eczema.
TMJ sufferers have reported less jaw pain from oil pulling.
In some studies, oil pulling reduces Streptococcus Mutans bacteria, a significant contributor to tooth decay.

Which Oil Do I Use?

I use coconut oil.
Coconut Oil contains ealthy fats called medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), these unique fats include:

• Caprylic acid
• Lauric acid
• Capric acid

91% of the fat in coconut oil is healthy saturated fat.
Unlike long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) found in plant based oils, MCFAs are:

• Easier to digest
• Not readily stored as fat
• Are anti-microbial and anti-fungal
• Smaller in size, allowing easier cell permeability for immediate energy
• Processed by the liver, which means that they are immediately converted to energy instead of being stored as fat

Benefits of coconut oil include:

• Reduces Inflammation and Arthritis
• Cancer Prevention and Treatment (because of the ketones produced in it’s digestion. Tumor cells are not able to access the energy in ketones and are glucose dependent)
• Immune System Boost (antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral)
• Improves Digestion (helps the body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, calcium, and magnesium)
• Improves Skin Issues (burns, eczema, dandruff, dermatitis, and psoriasis)
• Prevents Osteoporosis (high levels of antioxidants which help fight free radicals)
• Candida and Yeast Infections (because of the capric acid and lauric acid in coconut oil)

How did I start?

My normal morning routine, not counting the diaper changes, nursing, and other baby care, was a quick brush with Toms of Maine fluoride free toothpaste and a cup of coffee. Not the healthiest but at least I'm brushing.
This morning I got up, did the baby stuff, and then put a small spoonful of coconut oil in my mouth.
I will admit now - this is not the most pleasant experience I've ever had. The coconut feels weird and waxy in my mouth until it melts. Once it melted, I swished it between my teeth.
The recommended amount of time is 20 minutes. It's really hard, btw, to swish 20 minutes. My jaw was getting sore after a minute (I do have TMJ). I only lasted a lil under 5 minutes. Like exercise, its good to build up your time, I'm told.
After pulling, I brushed my teeth. My gums felt soothed, my teeth felt cleaner than when I just brushed. It was really nice. I then made my cup of coffee...I know, I know, one thing at a time.

Have you tried oil pulling? What oil did you use - I know there are oil pulling sets you can get with little pre-packaged oils and all but I've not invested in this yet. How did it go for you? I could use some stories of encouragement.
An article on Oil Pulling I liked by Dr. Axe. You can find info on Oil Pulling everywhere though - Pinterest, TV, billboards, everywhere!

*These statements have not been approved by the FDA. Please see your doctor, dentist, etc for your oral care.