Oil Pulling

This is why I love the Internet: I went on it to learn more about recycling deodorant tubes and discovered something about oil pulling.

If it’s new to you, as it was to me, oil pulling is a health therapy that involves swishing vegetable oil in your mouth for 20 min.

It supposedly helps with a variety of ailments, including diabetes, allergies and arthritis but also helps with problems such as gum disease and bad breath.

I think I’m going to try it, just out of curiosity. I really don’t see, however, how I can keep a couple teaspoons of oil and spit in my mouth for 20 minutes without, you know, dying or something. When done, you just spit it in the sink.

I have probably the worst teeth in the world, and I’m guessing it’s too late to actually health. But I want to know what it’s like.

I stumbled on oil pulling after a friend asked Waste Management if used deodorant roll-on tubes could be recycled (they can). Waste Management linked to a story talking about what can be recycled and ways to reduce the trask.

The article linked to several sites with recipes for homemade toothpaste (something I also want to try, again probably just once).

Here’s a recipe forhomemade toothpaste:

Homemade Coconut Oil Toothpaste

  • 3 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 3 Tbsp baking soda
  • 25 drops peppermint essential oil
  • 1 packet stevia
  • 2 tsp vegetable glycerin (optional)

Put the coconut oil and baking soda in a bowl and mash up with a fork until blended. Add the peppermint essential oil, stevia and optional vegetable glycerin and continue to mash and stir until you’ve reached toothpaste consistency.

From the CrunchyBetty.com website.

Oddly enough, I do have coconut oil at home. But not the essential oil version of peppermint. And I have no idea where to find vegetable glycerin.