Rethink Your Mouthwash

Like most Americans, I’m obsessed with my teeth. I want straight, white teeth (full disclosure, I had braces for the first time at age 50) and fresh breath. I’m currently experimenting with Oil Pulling, an ancient Ayurvedic practice to pull out toxins and some also say it whitens your teeth. Oil pulling entails swishing a mouthful of edible oil, like sunflower, sesame or coconut for 2 to 10 minutes before you brush. 

I try to live as clean as possible and it turns out traditional antibacterial mouthwash can contain toxic ingredients. And many teeth whitening products can irritate your gums and make your teeth more sensitive. They often contain artificial food dyes, acidic stabilizing agents and come with warnings not to swallow them! Furthermore, you don’t want to get rid of the good bacteria in your mouth as they keep the bad bacteria in check. For example, a Swedish study “linked lower nitrate production from antibacterial mouthwash to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease ” 

While there is no scientific evidence to support oil pulling, I have found anecdotally my teeth seem whiter, my breath is fresher and I love knowing I am not putting toxic chemicals in my mouth! I have tried straight coconut oil but currently I am using Guru Nanda, a blend of sesame, coconut, sunflower and peppermint oil, which seems to work better for me.