After just four days of oil pulling, I am truly amazed.

I want to keep this post simple and share my experience. There won't be any links to studies, tips, or instructions. This is a personal account from a guy who is learning new ways to cleanse his body while remaining a creature of habit.

I have been oil pulling daily for only four days, but surprisingly in this short amount of time, there have been results worth sharing.

For those who don't know, oil pulling is the simple act of swishing oil in ones mouth for a required 15 to 20 minutes on an empty stomach. The effect is said to draw out toxins from the body while drastically improving the overall health of your mouth and skin.

The most common oils are:

Olive
Sesame
Coconut
Sunflower

Do not waste you time unless the oil is:

Organic
Unrefined
Extra Virgin or Virgin

Other oils you may add for extra benefits:

Clove
Oregano
Tea Tree
Peppermint

I took the path of least resistance, went down to my local Stop & Shop and bought:


The price may vary from $6 to $10 dollars depending on your location. You can easily pick this up next time you go food shopping and it's readily available. Not to mention, it's super healthy and delicious while cooking with low heat.

To be clear, I wasn't very skeptical going in. My mother is a nutritionist and I am her student and guinea pig. On that note, what may work well for some, doesn't always work well for another. There are many factors that can either accelerate or hinder the process. At least with oil pulling, almost anybody can benefit and the adverse reactions are slim to none.

When I began, it was recommended that I use 1 to 2 teaspoons of my oil of choice. I started somewhere in between and quickly ran into a little problem. Being 6'5", even my big mouth could not contain the oil and added saliva after only five minutes of swishing. I laugh because some of you wont even make it that far. A teaspoon alone would do the trick and by twenty minutes, my mouth was completely full.


You may have noticed a little gold label on the picture of coconut oil earlier in the post. That label stands for "superior taste", defined by the "American Masters of Taste". All coconut oils are not created equal. The taste and consistency among products varies greatly. I found Spectrum's oil very pleasant and would highly recommend it.

On to the hard part...TWENTY MINUTES!!!

Yes, twenty! Anything less than fifteen minutes does not give the oil enough time to do it's job. Some have been known to do ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes at night, but I always prefer to do it on an empty stomach in the morning to get the best and quickest results.

Unlike other oils, coconut oil solidifies at room temperature though it doesn't take much heat for it to liquefy. This can make or break the process for some so if you choose to use coconut oil, you may want to let it warm up and liquefy before putting it in your mouth. I didn't mind it at all (also thanks to the taste) and start chewing it while it quickly melts in my mouth.


For anyone with a small mouth, bad gag reflex or are prone to swallowing mouthwash, here's a few tips:

Don't use more than one teaspoon at a time.

Do not add any other oils the first few times until you adjust. The coconut taste is pleasant but some added oils may make you gag, especially tea tree or oregano.

Do not spit oil into you sink or shower. The oil will solidify and eventually cause problems in your drain.

If your mouth is absolutely full and swishing becomes uncomfortable before ten minutes, spit into the garbage and start fresh for the remaining ten minutes. As your mouth fills, the risk of swallowing oil and toxins becomes greater. Swallowing a little accidentally is fine but you absolutely do not want those toxins going back into your body.

On to the results!


The first day:

Mild discomfort in the jaw due to constantly swishing. This eventually went away after five to ten minutes. Still happens every time I begin, but is probably due to my jaw muscles getting quite the workout. After the discomfort went away, it's smooth sailing.

After ten minutes, the discomfort turn into a mild euphoria, strange. Whether this was a symptom of detoxing or just an increase of blood flowing to my head, I wasn't sure. It certainly felt like "something" was happening. In a small way, my senses became clearer and my morning grogginess had subsided. Pretty neat.

The hardest part was keeping busy and trying not to swallow anything. I did what anyone would do, put on some coffee and fire up ATS. I was amazed how fast twenty minutes went by and came to the realization that "ATS relativity" does exist. Time travels faster while orbiting my computer, lol.

After twenty minutes, I spit it all into the garbage and ran to the bathroom. While I wasn't expecting a miracle, my teeth were still slightly discolored and some plaque had been removed, all without brushing. The small improvement I saw was just enough motivation for me to continue. And really, what should anyone expect after one sitting?

Day two:

More swishing. Same result as the first day except this time my teeth had more transparency to them. There was even more plaque removed and I felt that I could do without a cup of coffee. I gave into that rather quickly! I did notice that my teeth looked "different", but not necessarily brighter. My gum line looked healthier and was a bit more defined than when I started. Nothing spectacular.

Day three:

A rinse and repeat of day two except for a few noticeable changes. The discomfort in my jaw became less of an issue and the slight euphoric feeling I would get came on faster but less pronounce. Almost like I started with a clearer head, taking less time to achieve the same results as from the beginning. When I looked in the mirror is when I smiled...

My teeth were beginning to whiten only after the third day. It was happening slowly, but there was enough of a difference for me to notice. No harsh chemicals, no dentist, no strips. Coconuts... Coconuts made my teeth whiter after three days. I felt giddy inside, like I knew a secret that no one else knew. Of course this is wrong since oil pulling has been around for ages. I was excited. To me this was simple.

Day four:

All I can say is wow. When I'm finished, my head is calm and clear. The plaque near my gum line has severely diminished. I am scared to admit that my gum line isn't necessarily where I thought it would be due to some erosion. Looks like I have more work to do. The color of my teeth reminded me of the initial first two days. There isn't enough change to blow my socks off but I kept staring at them, admiring them. They are getting brighter. I almost don't want to look next time so I will be surprised at the end of the week.


This has been an eye opener for me and I highly recommend it. I don't blog or write product reviews so I appreciate anyone taking the time to read my experience. I hope a guy like me and my simple story can help inspire you to try it out. For smokers, this is a must. For coffee drinkers, do yourself a favor. It might be hard at first but is well worth the effort. You can do it!

I think I lasted maybe 2 minutes my first try. that was a month ago.

Thanks for the post, maybe I will try again.

Good information! I have gargled a little bit with coconut oil, but haven't done the whole thing. I make my own cold-pressed oil and you're right.......... the taste is wonderful. It should be clear like water above 75 degrees F. with a rich coconut smell and taste. My Darlin' and me do a shot every noon of coconut oil and acerola cherry juice. Good stuff. We begin nearly every morning with coconut water from brown, mature coconuts.

I started making my own, because I have the raw materials, and I was dissatisfied with the old-fashioned "cooked" coconut oil.

Thanks for all the information! I will give this a try, although it will be difficult to not swallow the coconut oil. I don't think I understood that facet of oil pulling until now.

originally posted by: tinner07
I think I lasted maybe 2 minutes my first try. that was a month ago.

Thanks for the post, maybe I will try again.

Two minutes? You've got along way to go! At least you tried.

Do you remember which oil and brand you used?

Don't give up!

a reply to: argentus

Hello argentus! I too share your love for coconuts. I probably drink more coconut water than I do H20 or as much as my wallet will allow me. Much more satisfying to my body.

Try a smaller amount next time and do it while reading something flat on the table with your head down. The workout your jaw gets will become less of an issue as you progress. No pain, no gain...right?

I'm glad you enjoyed my little adventure.

a reply to: eisegesis

I didn't have any problem with it......... we cook with coconut oil, use in on our skin, hair and drink it. Even our cats have a little for their hairballs. I didn't realize a person should do the oil pulling for so long, nor that they should not swallow it. Makes sense. I'll give it a try! thanks!

a reply to: eisegesis


Coconut oil has other benefits as well, aside good for cooking with

I use it on my face for a lotion as well as hair oil treatment about once a week

Got rough skin on feet??
Put a bunch of coconut oil on there, rub it around and sleep in socks...makes my feet soft again the next day

Yea, I tired swishing a while back and stopped...need to get back into it
Like you said, takes getting used to. LOL

I use the Nutiva Coconut Oil [organic virgin/GMO free] and get it at GNC

Love it, use it daily!!


Oh and Ladies, if any of you use waterproof mascara [I do since I work outdoors in extreme heat] this is great for removing it!!


Thanks for posting!!


Guess I better get back into 'swishing'.....

I got the idea from ATS a while ago (this hasn't really become a thing in Europe yet) and decided to give it a whirl.
I use sesame oil, though I use coconut oil for lots of other things, I find the sesame oil is a better whitener.

The coconut oil I put on my skin, use as makeup remover.

I didn't expect to be impressed by the results, but I was, really. And I don't even go the whole twenty minutes yet.

a reply to: eisegesis

Dang. I tried 6 or so years ago and I could not even get to five minutes. Maybe I will try again. I had coconut oil and it was a good brand from a reputable shop. I just gagged when my mouth got too full. Bad gag.

I have used oil pulling every night for the last 5 months, after receiving a terrible diagnosis from a perodontist who wanted to put me under general anaesthetic and operate on all my gums, cutting them away from my teeth and cleaning the roots.

I didn't like him, I didn't trust him , and I knew there had to be a better way.

In spite of his many dire warnings, my gums look great, my regular dentist said I had no plaque on my teeth during the last cleaning, and I'm glad I made the decision to take care of my own health - rather than obeying the Doctor's command as though he's god on earth!

originally posted by: antoinemarionette

I have used oil pulling every night for the last 5 months, after receiving a terrible diagnosis from a perodontist who wanted to put me under general anaesthetic and operate on all my gums, cutting them away from my teeth and cleaning the roots.

I didn't like him, I didn't trust him , and I knew there had to be a better way.

In spite of his many dire warnings, my gums look great, my regular dentist said I had no plaque on my teeth during the last cleaning, and I'm glad I made the decision to take care of my own health - rather than obeying the Doctor's command as though he's god on earth!

think i'm going to try and give this a shot ...

with all the good results here ...i'm definately going to at least attempt it..

a reply to: eisegesis

I wouldn't mind trying this, but the only oil on that list that I think I could keep in my mouth that long would be coconut, and alas, I just found out I am allergic to coconuts. I can't even put the oil on my skin, and I love coconuts.

One important step is to swish with saltwater after you finish. The oil pulls lots of bacteria into your mouth and a lot of it stays in your mouth when you spit out the oil. I use hot salt water for 1-2 minutes. It also seems to really help heal any cuts in my mouth. I've been oil pulling for about six months now and the effects are truly amazing.

a reply to: scojak


I don't swish with salt water, but I do brush thoroughly with baking soda.

After you swish with coconut oil, you realize just how many toxic substances are in your mouth.

Whatever you do, don't swallow it!

a reply to: Komodo

I highly recommend it to anyone with teeth or gum issues.

In some cases I'm sure it could eliminate our over-dependance on dentistry.

My case was pretty bad, so I also began taking supplements to support my gums: zinc, CO Q 10 and collagen.

Fantastic results! With regular cleanings, I no longer fear loosing my teeth (I lost 2 last year before I began pulling - this year, I lost NONE!)

a reply to: Ameilia

Ya, I have a pretty bad gag reflex myself. Most websites say tablespoon but I recommend only a teaspoon. I still noticed results. Even though you found a good brand, it helps to try a few. The taste can make all the difference unless you really can't stand coconut.

Be careful not to spit that stuff out all over the place. It's as greasy as butter when it gets on your hands. Probably a pain in the butt to clean up. Good luck!

originally posted by: scojak
One important step is to swish with saltwater after you finish. The oil pulls lots of bacteria into your mouth and a lot of it stays in your mouth when you spit out the oil. I use hot salt water for 1-2 minutes. It also seems to really help heal any cuts in my mouth. I've been oil pulling for about six months now and the effects are truly amazing.

I'm lucky, I can also get an all natural fluoride free mouthwash from the food store. I use "The Natural Dentist" brand.


I believe the one I use contains bamboo silica as a mild abrasive. I love it.

Hydrogen Peroxide is also a great way to get into those nooks and crannies without using an abrasive.

I've only heard good things about oil pulling, and stumbling upon this thread has reminded me to start doing it again. The first few times I tried it, I did it while in the shower; distracting myself by lathering and rinsing my hair really helped to fight the feeling of gagging/spitting/swallowing the gross-feeling concoction in my mouth. ^_^

I have decided to try this with coconut oil, see how things go.

Day 1:
Attempted this today, the thought of 20 mins was crazy, butit was fairly easy. The hard part was not swallowing... (thats what she said).

Pleased with the results, washed my mouth out with warm water, and then brushed my teeth, whilst in the shower I shall add.

All in all im impressed with how this is going and will try this each day

a reply to: eisegesis

I started a probiotic (Yakult) in May and was feeling pretty good. Then I lapsed a couple months and am suffering a skin condition in my armpits and down my flanks to my waistline. Never had this before, large painful eruptions. I've been wondering what the hell happened. To see a doc is out of the question (no health care, limited cash).

So I guess you know what I'll be trying next.

Thanx for the info.