NO MORE CAVITIES! COCONUT OIL PULLING

After 4 years of shamefully missing my annual dental check-up, I felt quite guilty and anxious as the dentist started rattling metallic tools and cold air on my teeth. "How long haven't you been to the dentist?" I lied. I said 2 years, waiting to know how many dozens of cavities I had.

- You're done.

- What...?

- Yeah, there are no cavities.

- ....! (joy words can't express)

The only thing I had changed in 4 years, is replacing commercial mouth wash with coconut pull 2 to 3 times a week, a practice I learned from an Ayurveda workshop in India.

First, I couldn't bear the sight of this neon-green (or blue) mouthwash anymore, nor its burning feel (gargling with Jagermeister couldn't be worse). I also started to put my nose in the formulations: alcohol base (which dries the mouth and kills all bacteria, including good ones), strong acidic ingredients in order to increase shelf life (damaging the enamel and gums, making teeth easier to stain) and synthetic coloring (some of which are known carcinogens).

Goodbye, (not-so) Cool Mint Listerine!

Although it's not necessary to add essential oils to your oil (coconut oil does a great job by itself), I personally like to make this blend:

NO MORE CAVITIES! COCONUT OIL PULLING RECIPE

Choose 100% pure and natural essential oils, certified organic whenever possible.

- 100g of organic, cold-pressed coconut oil

- 0,4g of tea tree oil

- 0,3g of peppermint oil

- 0,3g of cardamom oil

Gently warm the coconut oil until liquid, stir all ingredients together well and store in a glass jar. Scoop 1 tablespoon of blend and swish in your mouth for 20mn (a bit less if you are in a rush, but really try to do the full 20mn at least once a week). Spit it out in a sink and rinse. Done! I personally like to do it after brushing my teeth and flossing, although it can be done before. Try both and see what works best for you.

Coconut oil will help get rid of bad bacteria responsible for cavities and bad breath and work in synergies with these essential oils to create a clean environment in your mouth. If you have bleeding gums, this will be very soothing and help prevent gum infections and enamel decay. Another interesting benefit: coconut oil has great anti-inflammatory properties, and it is said it can help with TMJ symptoms.