Forget whitening strips and special toothpaste the answer to a brighter smile might be in the baking aisle at the grocery store.
This new trend is called “oil pulling” and people who do it swear by it.
It’s pretty simple. You take your oil, scoop out a tablespoon, and start swishing.
Unless you melt the coconut oil ahead of time, it’s a solid at room temperature.
Then you swish it around for 15 to 20 minutes and spit it out.
Oil pulling is a relatively new hot topic, but it dates back to ancient Indian culture.
The theory is that as you swish the oil around it gets bacteria to cling to it.
When you spit out the oil, you get rid of the toxins and whiten your teeth.
“There’s no proof that says that it’s going to work. It’s just by testimonial. Some people say, ‘oh it works great.’ Well, I don’t know. But the jury’s still out and I would say give it a try. The oil pulling is certainly not going to hurt you,” Dr. Christine Tenaglia, a dentist, said.
For some, the proof is in the “pulling”.
“The weekend that I started it, I did it on a Saturday morning and I did it on a Sunday – the next day – and I forgot to do it Monday. I just Tuesday, I was like, gosh, I didn’t sleep as well last night. It was just really weird. So I did it again and I slept better,” Candace Ebbinghaus said.
Oil pulling is not a substitute for regular brushing, flossing, and dental check-ups.
If you try it spit the oil into the garbage can not the sink; coconut oil will solidify and can clog your pipes.