Impressive Health Benefits of Oil Pulling

I am a 49 yo female. For the past year I've been steering away from processed foods, chemical additives in my products, etc. In other words, I'm eating REAL food and putting natural products on my body and in my house. It's sort of been fun but challenging to incorporate all of the changes in my life.

Now to my question. I have had about 8 metal fillings in my mouth for a very long time (some since I was a teenager). The last time I went to the dentist he had to replace one and put in something white...not silver. Anyway, I also grind my teeth pretty bad....so bad that I have a mouth guard that I sleep in. I have ground some of my teeth down pretty far. Many days I have a metally taste in my mouth --- although the dental hygienist said this could possibly be related to my perimenopause. Some days I have shooting pains or dull pains in my mouth.

I read about oil pulling and tried it several months back. I didn't notice any remarkable changes right away like some posters. I did enjoy doing it until I read that you should not OP with metal fillings in your mouth. So I quit after a few weeks. Today, however, I read that it's okay to do. With all of the conflicting information I've read I don't know if I should OP or not. Please advise.

I too take a thyroid medication. However, I take it in the middle of the night. I have read several articles & even watched a video that said, you get better/more results from the medication if you take it at night. I personally don't have to set an alarm for it. Not sure if my body has set one for me or what...possibly the need to urinate (you know how it is). I am curious about the "oil pulling" though. As in, what are the best oils to use?

You may want to look into taking Iodine . I take Iodoral. It immediately took care of ALL breast tenderness, soreness, fibers, cysts, everything. It was so bad before that I could hardly stand under the shower. Amazing product and another sad "Natural" healer that has gone from our diets. Check it out. Dr. Abrahams http://www.westonaprice.org/metabolic-disorders/the-great-iodine-debate Hope this enlightens you on breast tenderness and health. =)

The web of skin is usually a result of an allergy to sodium laurel sulfate in your toothpaste. Try a SLS free toothpaste.

Jim from Syracuse- I have read somewhere that taking zinc helps with tinnitus although I have not had much experience using that personally. There is a great ear drop formula you can find in health food stores- grapeseed oil with a tiny bit of tea tree oil, it helped me a lot.

Cj from New Zealand: oil pulling is an age old Ayurvedic method to remove toxins from the body. Even though almost everybody on EC uses other oils, the right oil is plain sesame oil. If research is done, it is stated that other oils are not as effective. Om

Yes of course you should drink ACV - after you've OP'd of course. That will only help your cause immensely. Stick with the OPing as well, even if you find you're getting more headaches etc, that's the toxins leaving your body. But try other oils such as coconut, or walnut (they say that's the best one). I guess that all depends on your taste buds. Do the OPing twice a day at first, then go down to just the mornings.

Kimberly, oil pulling never interfered with any other remedies for me.

Happy Holidays! I just discovered this site and just tried OP for the 1st time this morning with olive oil. Have had serious headaches.... migraines.... chronic sinus infections..... Aches and pains FOR YEARS. After drinking lots of water after OP'ing. Can I drink my apple cider vinager?

There was some study done that said in order for oil pulling to have an effect, it must be done 19 minutes. I would take an amount that doesn't make you gag. Too much in a small mouth and it will cause gagging.

Shelley,

Re oil pulling tolerance.

You and about everyone has to overcome the gag reflex. One has to be conditioned to tolerate. If one has the gag reflex then do NOT try to hold as long as you can. Instead, use a good tasting oil (coconut oil) and hold for only a minute. Ten minutes later, do it again...for only a minute. Then quit for a day. Next day, do it again but see if you can go two minutes but never go to the point when you are choking. Try to go a couple of times but never if you are getting nauseous from it. The point is to overcome the gag sensation is to gradually build a tolerance and you never force the issue on your reflexes.

Hello Jillery,

Re oil pulling...

If I could also add to make the experience more tolerable...use a high quality coconut oil. That is, if you like coconut.

I just started oil pulling also. The first time I tried I had to spit it out cause of the need to gag. The second time I tried it I MEASURED a Tablespoon of oil and it was indeed easier to handle. I do it about 10 to 15 min. Folks talk about how the liquid changes and it does. I see it more as my saliva 'digesting' the oil and in fact saliva does break down the oil in that manner. It was much easier since I measured the amount of oil I use. I just use motor oil (hahahaha...) no, I used olive oil because that is what I have available most of the time. ~jillery

Yes, Shelly, even a few minutes each time (preferably twice a day) gives benefits.

I've been trying oil-pulling for a week now and still cannot do more than a few minutes before I start gagging and need to spit. I've read all your tips and try to implement them but it hasn't helped yet. Is there any benefit from doing 3-4 minutes?

My dr told me to do a neem based oil pull using sesame oil as a carrier. I bought some neem oil ysterday and need to know how many drops of neem oil I should use in 1 tablesppon of seseme. Or what is the ratio? Thanks, Sharon

Dear Krysten,

You asked about oil pulling and detoxing while breastfeeding. Is there something specific you wish to detox from, or just general detox? How old is your baby? With a young breastfeeding baby, I would be more cautious about detoxing. No matter what the age of your baby, you will want to take detoxing slowly and gently.

I think some gentle detoxing is okay with an older baby. Your body is detoxing in sense all the time. Your blood, kidneys, and liver are all working to keep your body clean. Drinking water is a form of detoxing and we do that daily.

I would say that no matter what you try, if you start having a strong reaction to stop or slow way down. Better yet, just take it slowly. If you start with Apple Cider Vinegar, take 1 teaspoon in 6 oz. of water for a few weeks. Gradually work up to 1 Tablespoon in 8 oz. of water each day. At some point, if you add oil pulling, try it with 1/2 Tablesppon of oil for 5 minute a day. Maybe move up to 1 T. for 10 minutes a day.

I have used Apple Cider Vinegar all through pregnancy and breastfeeding. I have done oil pulling while nursing a toddler. I have never noticed any reaction in my children. At the same time, I have never done any detoxing during pregnancy or breastfeeding that have ever caused me to have strong (herx type) symptoms.

Hope that helps!

~Mama to Many~

Hi, so I would assume oil pulling would not be a good idea to do while breastfeeding in case toxins and other gunk might start leeching their way out through my breast milk?

And another question, is there any way you can overly cleanse yourself through oil pulling and rid your body of the good bacteria inside? especially when some. Of the people on the forums of oil pulling are talking about cleansing your body out with apple cider vinegar first for about 2 weeks before starting oil pulling to have a lesser chance of having a herxheimer reaction. Soo idk how and when to jump into oil pulling.

Go to Just Label It http://justlabelit.org and help fight this injustice.

Canola Oil should be strictly avoided- its ALL genetically modified, meaning genes from differing species are artificially added to the plant genetic reproduction... nothing to do with traditional agricultural genetic breeding (ex, begonias or apples)! The name itself is short for Canada Oil, and it is a modern agricultural product, not a centuries-old traditional food that has withstood the test of time in human nutrition.

Transgenic modifications were created for the sole purpose of a few corporations owning patent rights to our food supply, no matter how much they declare they are "feeding the world" and helping our meet out outrageous population needs. It's all political and economic rhetoric to increase their profit margins and corporate survival. Very little unbiased research has been PUBLISHED, meaning most scientific research on the topic is contaminated with economic agendas.

Human's have farmed for how long without the help of Monsanto/ DuPont? And now those companies own the game!

Google "Institute for Responsible Technology" to get a list of documentaries that will change your life regarding the topic (plus a host of powerpoint slides showing GMO food health implication in animal studies). Mercola.com is another good resource. Educate yourself about the health impacts of GM foods and agriculture, and don't buy into big agribusiness' political campaigns!

The best step forward is to have manditory labeling of GMO's on our food labels, so we can have personal soverignty (right to choose), and we can pay attention to what we are REALLY eating.

If avoiding GM foods improves a person's health, then so be it! If not, then we can research with a new hypothesis! This is the scientific method, currently being denied to the American Public due to corporate manipulation.

Any time I am force-fed information that is convenient to corporations or corporately-owned governments (*cough*), I ask myself "who is profiting off this information?"

Blessings to the Earth Clinic community... people's power is in learning and educating themselves!

Since a week I have been trying this and I experienced these things. oil pulling reduces leg cramps, cracked heels and also gives great energy.

Castor oil is safe if it is hexane free. Castor Oil used to be given to children on a daily basis for constipation and overall general health. I use Palma Christi - Hexane Free and I used it for oil pulling and watched the color come back into my face as I looked in the mirror. Within moments.

Hi. I want to get started with oil pulling. I remember reading here a good while back that it can make you sick, if your body is not ready for it, and that you can get it "ready" with baking soda? I'm reading around here, and can't find that general information. Thank you, oh wonderful, EC.

No canola oil is not at all healthy. It is one of the main causes of diabetes. When using canola oil it takes 6 months to undo the damage from 1 serving of this nasty oil. It places an artificial fat wall around your cells walls that disrupt the electrical balance of your cells. This fat wall then does not allow glucose to properly penetrate. This knocks your pancreatic cells out of whack which produce Insulin and causes blood sugar imbalance. You can fix this in about 6 months if you cut out all canola oil as well as all margirin and vegetable oil. Buy a bottle of cold pressed Flaxseed oil and a bag of ground flaxseed. The ground flaxseed has to be used as soon as its introduced to the air because it goes rancid very quick. The flaxseed oil must have the top secured at all times and kept away from heat and light. Mix 1 table spoon with 2 tablespoons of 4% milkfat cottage cheese. Or you can double the amount depending on how hungry you are. Mix very well. Take this mixture and add in 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed. Mix well and you can optionaly add cinnamon for blood sugar balancing(it mimmicks insulin) and apricott or organic fruit of your choice. Eat this 3 times per day. This diet is known as the budwig diet and it reverses diabetes as well as cancer. Avoid taking vitamin C when using this diet at least 3 hours before or after eating. The flaxseed oil mixes with the fat of the cottage cheese in a way that makes it become water soluble. The oil then can bypass the liver and directly bring oxygenation to your cells and organs through your blood stream. Your diabetes will be reversed within 6 months or less if you eliminate all bad fats especialy canola, margerin, and vegetable oils. Also if you can get organic cottage cheese that is the prefered type to use. God bless and good luck to everyone. Sending light and love out to all that read this!!!!

Reply to Douglas, MD: I found your comments very valuable, especially re:diabetes. To overcome the ill effects of using canola oil, you recomended following the Budwig Protocol. You mention mixing flaxseed oil with 4% min., milk fat content cottage cheese; but my researching of the Budwig Protocol shows that lower milkfat content cottage cheese is optimum (eg, 2% fat content cottage cheese or Quark). The lower fat content cheeses allow the flaxseed oil to become more water-soluble, enabling it to more easily enter the body cells.

No canola oil is not at all healthy. It is one of the main causes of diabetes. When using canola oil it takes 6 months to undo the damage from 1 serving of this nasty oil. It places an artificial fat wall around your cells walls that disrupt the electrical balance of your cells. This fat wall then does not allow glucose to properly penetrate. This knocks your pancreatic cells out of whack which produce Insulin and causes blood sugar imbalance. You can fix this in about 6 months if you cut out all canola oil as well as all margirin and vegetable oil. Buy a bottle of cold pressed Flaxseed oil and a bag of ground flaxseed. The ground flaxseed has to be used as soon as its introduced to the air because it goes rancid very quick. The flaxseed oil must have the top secured at all times and kept away from heat and light. Mix 1 table spoon with 2 tablespoons of 4% milkfat cottage cheese. Or you can double the amount depending on how hungry you are. Mix very well. Take this mixture and add in 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed. Mix well and you can optionaly add cinnamon for blood sugar balancing(it mimmicks insulin) and apricott or organic fruit of your choice. Eat this 3 times per day. This diet is known as the budwig diet and it reverses diabetes as well as cancer. Avoid taking vitamin C when using this diet at least 3 hours before or after eating. The flaxseed oil mixes with the fat of the cottage cheese in a way that makes it become water soluble. The oil then can bypass the liver and directly bring oxygenation to your cells and organs through your blood stream. Your diabetes will be reversed within 6 months or less if you eliminate all bad fats especialy canola, margerin, and vegetable oils. Also if you can get organic cottage cheese that is the prefered type to use. God bless and good luck to everyone. Sending light and love out to all that read this!!!!!!!!!!

Canola is genetically modiied in the same way your prized begonias would be. It was created using traditional crossbreeding techniques and is no more superscience than bananas are-by the way, look up the Gros Michel die off an then the current crisis with the Calabash.

Canola was bred to remove the toxins that at the time would be deadly. As it now stands, the presence of those chemicals is laughable. Canola oil is both cheap and healthy when compared to most other oils and can be considered the poor mans extra virgin olive oil. Get your facts straight.

You must first remedy the problem of toxicity in the body and the first place to begin is the colon. Do a colon cleanse and you must improve; here's a link: https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/colon-cleansing.html.

If you were or are a smoker, you will also need to cleanse the lungs. The single most effective way to accomplish this is nebulizing hydrogen peroxide. The H2O2 oxidizes that black tar on contact.

I had one front tooth to become noticiably stained and the general 3% H2O2 swishing didn't clear so I began applying 35% H2O2 w/ a cotton swab. It's time consuming but 5 or 10 min a day for a week cleared my stain quite effectively.

Hope this helps.

Dear Jannis, I am not sure about the stains... But I have something that I am trying for receding gums that seems to be working. I have one tooth from which the gum has been receding for a decade or two. I started using a homemade tooth powder for brushing twice a day. (I don't use toothpaste, just the powder.) My receding gum is looking less receded. I am hopeful that it will be fully healed over time.

Here is my recipe:

1 part myrrh gum powder
1 part black walnut powder
1/2 part cayenne pepper
1/2 part goldenseal root powder

I mix it up and put my damp toothbrush in it and brush. It doesn't taste good and feels very spicy the first few times. But now it feels refreshing to me and my mouth feels very clean. Black walnut is very good for the enamel of your teeth. The cayenne brings the blood for healing (Don't floss right after brushing or you will bleed!) The goldenseal helps with infection. Myrrh is antiseptic. You could do just mix equal parts of cayenne and goldenseal root or even just brush with cayenne. Lalitha Thomas, in her book, Ten Essential Herbs recommends that last two things for receding gums and has found them to be effective.

I have read the brushing with activated charcoal powder is good for whitening teeth. You could add one part of that to the mix. I have done that in the past, but it really makes a mess of the sink, even worse than the above recipe. Let us know what helps you!

~Mama to Many~

Hello, to everybody. As I mentioned, I've been oil pulling with different oil (coconut, olive, sesame) for nearly three months now, and I really love it. The problem is that I noticed heavy gum recession and dark stains in my teeth (between teeth and the inside sides on my front teeth)

The dark stains must have come from nicotine and nothing seems to remove them.

I am also drinking AVC, 2 tbsp twice daily also for 3 months

I tried what @timh suggested swishing with peroxide and grapefruit seed extract for 2 weeks but it has not worked satisfactory. (My teeth seem a little whiter but the stains are still there and gum recession is worsening). Thank you very much @Timh for your interest I hope you have another method for me to try :).

Now I am gonna quit Acv, to see if that had something to do with my problems. I am gonna keep oil pulling and gonna keep swishing with peroxide. I don't wanna go to the dentist, I will keep trying solve the problem with home remedies.

Sorry for the long post. Wishing you all the best. Any ideas would be appreciated for fighting the stains and recession

Thank you so much, I just discovered this site and oil pulling. I have used plain EVOO not organic is this okay?I have been doing OP for 2days. Yesterday before I started to do yoga I had a coughing fit and kept coughing up phelgm and it lasted for 15min. I kept spitting out lots of phelgm. I did my yoga at about 9pm.

That has never happened before, is it from the OP and by the way I stopped smoking on Friday. I thought about the connection... I drank half a shot glass in the morning, after I read about OP. This was mid-morning and today about noon. I thought about the coughing maybe it does have to do with the smoking.

@Timh, I have both remedies in hand, so I am gonna use them as soon as possible.

I cant help thanking you again, for giving me a prospective continuing oil pulling treatment. I was really stuck what I shall do next.

Of course I will inform you about the progress in my teeth/gum situation. I owe that to you and to everyone in earthclinic community. I wish I will have good news to share. My best regards.

@Jannis: As for adding herbals to the oil pull, I personally began adding Grapefruitseed Liquid Concentrate to my oil for pulling with very good results. After about 15 or 20 pulls the infection in the gums seems mostly gone so I am now cutting way back on the Grapefruitseed. Same with Hydrogen Peroxide; after about 10 swishes with 3% H2O2 (one a day) the need drops to maybe once per weak.

As for infections, the most likely culprit is Candida or Fungal so there is lots of info on treating that here on E.C., but hopefully the herbs I suggested will work fine for you. Extracts will be best.

Your gratitude is most appreciated and do keep us updated as to your progress.

@Timh from Ky, Usa

Thank you so much for your answer, I was so worried in the thought of quitting oil pulling, as I think it has an overall positive effect on me. I will follow immediately your advice. I have oregano and clove oil available. Shall I add 2-3 drops in the coconut/sesame/olive oil I use for oil pulling everytime? How often shall I use it, and how often should I use hydrogen peroxide as mouth wash? I take good care of my mouth but nothing seems to work (even my gum recession seems worse). I have no pain. Shall I wait for better results soon? or go to the dentist as soon as possible.

Thank you again. Wishing you all the best

@Jannis: Same thing happened to me. Oil Pulling is an effective detox method as well as oral hygiene BUT if one has some type chronic infection or perhaps parasitic infestation, the oil reservoir in the mouth draws those poisons and over-saturates until the mouth and teeth become filthy. In this case, one must always use an antiseptic mouth rinse (natural or synthetic) before and after the oil pull. Hydrogen Peroxide will be one of the mandatory cleaners on your list.

Now, lets back up and treat that chronic infection w/ some natural antibiotic herbs like Garlic, Oregano, Grapefruitseed, Olive Leaf, Pau de Arco, Cats Claw, Oregon Grape Root.

If you get no lasting results from the above list of herbs do a parasite cleanse with Black Walnut Hulls, Clove, and Wormwood.

If you get no lasting results from above, a Colon Cleanse would be advised.

I too suffer from tinnitus and have found that coffee, alcohol, asperin, gluten and sugar all cause it to temporarily get louder. I now drink yerba matte (yes it has caffein but does not affect me like coffee and does not bother my intersticial cystitis). I read the other day that diatomaceous earth (food grade) can significantly reduce the noise. Will try on payday and let you all know if it works.

Better But With Side Effects

Hello everybody at earth clinic. I find your site very helpful and I am addicted to it every day for hours. Before 2 months I had a terible pain in my wisdom tooth, I started immediately oil pulling (after reading about it in this site) and within hours my pain went away. From that day I am oil pulling everyday many times a day, with different high quality oils. My gums are not swollen anymore and I felt better. I am a heavy smoker, and my teeth feel cleaner and whiter now. But my teeth have now many brown stains, (is it beacause they are whiter now?). Some teeth got a bit black like they are rotten, and my breath smell like rot). The last 3 days I feel very under the weather, depression like symptoms (i suffered from depression few years ago). I keep oil pulling in hope that everything is gonna get better. Are these symptoms a side effect of oil pulling? Or is it healing process? Please any similar conditions happened in anybody else? Thank you, I need your guidance.

There is no cure for tinnitus. Cut salt, caffeine, smoking, alcohol and the #1 cause is stress. There is a hearing aid that I have been fitting on tinnitus patients that is helping to cut if not eliminate the ringing in the ears.

Is it okay to use raw organic hemp oil for oil pulling?

I have been looking for a reason not to OP because of amalgam filings. What is the harm? I've been OP for awhile and I don't think I recognize any problems. Are there certain early warning signs?

20 minutes may be too long as well. You're creating an emulsification that draws out then traps the bacteria in your mouth & encouraging saponification. You want the oil pulled to be white and frothy when you spit. If it falls and goes clear you're basically swishing toxic stuff all over your teeth. I do 15 minutes.

& Always brush beforehand! The sesame oil has been proven to retard plaque for up to 12 hours.

I've been oil pulling on and off for about three years (thanks to Earthclinic) and didn't know till today that you weren't supposed to do it if you have amalgams. I have one amalgam, one cap and have had no issues to date. I had an implant put in last month in Thailand - which has already broken, but that was due to my bite rather than oil pulling. I did stop oil pulling for a few weeks after the tooth was put on though as the implant felt pulled at with the swishing - I guess the jaw was not used to any kind of pressure or movement since the actual tooth was removed some years prior. I'll continue to oil pull as I really don't think it's anything other than beneficial. I alternate between olive oil and coconut depending on my mood. I think olive oil whitens better and you can spit it down the sink (yes, I know you're not supposed to!).

Your teeth have been cleaned by OP so not nessessary to brush to be clean but it will get the oil and yuck out of your mouth. Stay away from flouride toothpaste, bad news, get a natural one without it or just use soda and water. I just use water and my brush after I pull.

Hey guys!!! I just discoved this site a few days ago and wow!!! This is amazing-- all these super easy amazing cures I never knew about! Anyway, I'm just wondering, if I start oil pulling, should I not brush my teeth with regular tooth paste after? Would it be better if I used something like baking soda, or should I just rinse my mouth out after? Thanks!!!

The symptoms you describe were probably "detoxing effects" from the oil pulling. I had symptoms similar to yours and I believe it was from all the medications I was on before and after surgery leaving my body.

Your artificial joint likely had no "glue" or "cement". Newer joint replacement surgeries today use pegs and screws and eventually bone tissue grows over the new joint making it even more stable. Glue and cement are rarely used anymore. There is no way coconut oil could get into your joint from your mouth and loosen something in your leg. I asked my surgeon how sturdy the joint with the bolts was and he said "nothing.. short of severe trauma (car accident, etc. will loosen it". Here's a description of how joint surgeries are done now.. to relieve your concerns:

"In a non-cemented procedure, components of the implant have a roughened porous surface designed to allow bone to grow into it, eliminating the need for cement.

"The implants are "press fit" against the bony surfaces that are precisely cut through the use of multiple cutting jigs. Faultless positioning is necessary for bony attachment to occur with initial fixation by metal pegs and screws of the implant to bone. Since this implant relies on the bone to hold it in place, this procedure requires good bone to be successful."

http://ehealthmd.com/content/how-artificial-implant-fixed-bone

I was wondering if black seed oil would be desirable for oil pulling?

I have been using coconut oil and do not experience excess saliva. Dairy cows are being fed GMO grasses and/or grains so I would guess that your choice is not using a pure oil. EVOO is not a good choice because it is being diluted with cheaper oils. It goes rancid quicker and I've had to return several brand named choices. The coconut oil is in plastic but I've had no reaction that I can identify and I have been pleased so far (maybe two months). What helps me pass the time is I set a kitchen timer (on my stove) for twenty minutes and I swish while reading the "Real-Time Posts".

I believe that the positive, measurable results of oil pulling are due to the the physics of CAVITATION. The implosion of bubbles in liquid is a well studied phenomenon outside of the human mouth... It's considerable power will degrade a ships propeller in short order... In an ultrasonic parts cleaner it will strip tarnish from silver and filth from your jewelry. The variations in oil viscosity (sunflower vs. Olive etc.) WILL produce different cleaning or stimulative effect. Water will work as well but takes much more time as it's viscosity results in lower cavitational power. Very little mysticism here but a lot of misinformation.

To Clio51 from Manchester. According to Ayurvedic books, oil pulling should be done in the early morning before drink or food with sesame oil. In twenty minutes the oil should look white when expelled. Then rinse mouth several times. The action is on all energy points on the tongue , that is why oil pulling benefits all body organs.

I have done it now for almost a year and loose teeth are firm again. Otherwise my teeth have whitened over time. Other benefits may be there as I have no other issues. Keep it up. Om

Hi, Do you have to do the oil pulling at a certain time of day or can I do it anytime as I'm not very good in the mornings. Does it have to be organic?

Gigi, as Ted once said: oil pulling might only pull out defectively applied tooth fillings. Otherwise you can oil pull with fillings.

Could anyone tell me if oil pulling will pull mercury out of the fillings in your teeth. I have been eating coconut oil 2 T a day to help with parkinson symtoms, and worry about metals and my health, I have 10 mercury fillings. I was considering oil pulling.

Hi Ted: If sublingual meds are more readily absorbed how can it be, when OP, we are not absorbing more of the toxins we are swishing around in our mouth? Thanks for your help.

You wrote that you "swished" the oil. Oil pulling requires that you "chew" the oil like food. Give that a try for a week and see what happens. Blessings, Mary

Kathy: Your post was quite sufficiently organized, so you must be doing fairly well.

Not just the GMO's but growth hormones and antibiotics are used in our "factory farms". After watching Food Inc, I was disappointed that the producers & director of the movie simply took the "organic" and "humane" side of the problem, and totally neglected the real issue of feeding a booming population of (too many) people. It's obvious that our "little" planet can only sustain so many people, and the reality is now kicking in, especially in the declining health of the animal inhabitants.

Not for everybody, but an eco-friendly solution of sustainable and healthy food production is Aquaponics. Check out "Back Yard Liberty" for more information on micro-farming.

Timh--I should have added "eggs" when I suggested cooking veggies 'til tender to eat with animal protein. I thought that could be assumed from my remark about reducing my meat and egg consumption. I've gone from eating three extra large eggs a day to one or two medium at least once a day, sometimes twice. BTW, I noticed that the eggs in the cardboard cartons have a richer yellow/orange yolk so I only purchase those.

Hi Timh, I used to eat three eggs a day but, to make a very long story short, I learned that chickens are being fed genetically modified grains and grasses. It makes them fatter, harder to digest and the eggs they produce are no longer nutritionally balanced. After being contacted by someone in a consumer group and watching a PBS special about our food I started looking for "free-range" dairy cows, cattle and chicken. There is no such thing because they're all being fed GMO's and, I feel, this is why there is such a weight problem. My husband and I became aware of THAT meat, milk and eggs being harder to digest. It had me in debt for awhile too. Going back to what was considered not so safe is safer after all and eating raw fruits and vegetables has become more deadly because they have been engineered to last longer... Disease or droubt resistant and very hard for us to digest. Organics are no longer safe. You just have to get used to smaller portions because you don't know to what degree the food has been tainted.

Between a rock and a hard place, you have to decide what's best for you. Cook food too long and you create more MSG which can stimulate some nerve cells to death. Don't cook it long enough and and your body has a hard time assimilating it.

This has been done in a peicemeal rush and I don't know if I've made sense.

Kathy, thought I might add that eating or supplementing Liver would help restore minerals as well as Vit-A. The only other food with appreciatible amounts of (preformed) Vit-A is Eggs.

I am so sorry for my piecemeal approach, just trying to help. I've had multiple head traumas. Vit A is needed for tissue repair so you need to eat fruits and vegetables that contain Vit A cooked until tender to eat with your animal protein.

AQ, I forgot to mention the oil could be rancid. On the news there was a report about our food supply being diluted with cheaper ingredients. Olive oil and tea were mentioned. I had purchased a brand named, more expensive extra virgin olive oil in an amber glass bottle because I thought it was pure and safe but it was not. I returned it to the store and did not have any trouble getting my money back. You might want to look into the oil you purchased. I have noticed such sensitivity reduction with the CO I recommend you get some and give it a try. I take a spoonful and do my swishing while I watch the news (I'd watch it 24/7 if I could), do my housework or while I am looking up something on the PC. The time goes by quickly.

Lastly, if you do not eat animal protein you are not getting what you need to replace and rebuild what is being broken down due to aging wear and tear. I'm sure you must be aware that next to water, protein is the most plentiful substance in the body. It sounds to me like you may be vegetarian and/or you take multiple supplements. All of our food has been genetically modified in one way or another and, in my opinion the binders, fillers, and /or capsules could be destroying what you feel you are helping. I have learned what foods provide the nutrients I need and try to use food as my medicine. The problem is that food is not what it used to be. Just for the record, I'm old enough to be your mother, I have amalgam fillings and crowns. The only place I have gum recession is where I did not brush properly as a youngster and I had used a hard bristled brush. I eat animal protein (that has to be weighed and limited now due to what the edible critters are being fed) and I try to keep my weight at 100lbs. It is a little more difficult because I have to limit my meat & eggs and I'm not as active as I used to be. I used to jog three miles a day and worked out at a spa several days a week.

Hi again AQ, I just read your post again and I'm sorry I didn't address your pleas. Since you have so much recession, that could allow more bacteria in and since you have pain in your roots, enough bacteria could have caused you to have abscesses. I have read posts here on EC that really helped me with the pain from mine. I went to Ailments for "abscessed tooth" and read about using a garlic clove to ease the pain. It burns but it worked. There is a post there by HappyNurse66 that helped me get through my terrible pain for one tooth. Someone else posted putting a tea bag in enough water to moisten it well, covering the affected tooth/teeth and gently biting it to hold it in place for 20-30 minutes. Have you had a full-mouth series of x-rays? Alternating the garlic clove and tea bag calmed the two I had. I don't think it means I'm out of the woods yet but I'm not in pain. This happened to me last August. One x-ray confirmed the garlic did indeed reduce the size of an abscess for a tooth that had a root canal. I did take some OTC pain medication for that one. Once I learned the garlic had reduced the size of the abscess I stopped using it because I wasn't in anymore pain... BIG MISTAKE. Sleeping on that side of my face created enough heat to cause what was there to burst. Then I had pain. That's when my husband insisted I use the OTC (2AM). The next day I alternated the tea bag and garlic clove until the pain and swelling were gone. If you want to try the tea bag remedy, make sure you get a brand name.

Hi AQ, I stumbled on some information about "organic" that I was pleased to read because I just never had a good feeling about "organic" anything. I don't have your post in front of me so I cannot recall the type of oil you said you used. It seems to me that because I was not exposed to organics in my youth, my system has adapted or maybe built up an immunity so that if I were to convert to organics I would have some kind of reaction. I cannot remember exactly what the article said but I remember it said that the soil organics are grown in is not good. I'll try to locate it if you are interested. If you weren't brought up on organics maybe you're having a reaction to that oil. If not, I was taught that gum recession comes from improper brushing. I was a dental assistant part-time when in high school. I was in one of the school-to-work programs. I remember the dentist telling the children to brush their teeth the way they grew with a soft brush. Brush from the gums down on the uppers and up from the lowers, massaging the gums to keep them tight against the teeth. I wasn't taught to take care of my teeth at a young age but when I applied that brushing technique I think it helped to preserve them. You're twice that age so I don't know if it's too late but it sure wouldn't hurt to try. Just let me know if you are interested in the article about "organics" and I'll try to locate it. I forwarded it to a couple of friends so it is here somewhere.

Hi Kathy from Sadville, I would never use oil in plastic. I'm using Spectrum organic, bottled in glass.

Thanks for your response!

AQ

Hi Aq. I'm no expert on dental care but your post comes in the middle of my own research into dental health after finding an amazing oral health care routine by Dr. Ellie Phillips. I came across her information by accident last week and have been devouring her free website posts ever since. Boy, have I learned a lot! I've also applied her mouth care system and have seen noticeable improvement in just one week. She has a lot of information to go through on her blog but she has a book as well, Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye, which seems to be a more concise and organized read (I have not read it yet). I highly recommend you take a look at her information. http://ultimateoralhealthguide.com/

In the meantime, I do have some thoughts about your routine that you might consider.

You said that at the same time you started oil pulling that you also started to brush your teeth and floss after every meal. This may very well be the problem. This is a common issue, especially here on EC, where most people think that brushing immediately after eating or drinking something acidic (like the popular remedy Apple Cider Vinegar) will protect their teeth from the erosion of the acid. Wrong! It's actually the opposite. Acidic foods and drinks will actually soften your enamel, so that when you brush your teeth you then brush the enamel away. Kind of the worst thing you could do if you're trying to protect your teeth!

The remedy is to make sure that you alkalize your mouth before brushing to ensure that the enamel is protected. You can do this by swishing with a solution of baking soda in water, eating or chewing a mint/gum sweetened with 100% xylitol (or dissolving the pure crystals in your mouth), eating a piece of cheese, or swishing with a commercial product like closys mouth wash. Brushing with an alkalized mouth is very different from brushing with an acidic mouth. This might also happen even if you haven't eaten recently because things like overall diet, stress, medications, toxins, candida, mouth breathing, and hormones that affect the acidity of the mouth. You can buy pH strips to test this easily.

Another issue might be how you are brushing and flossing: it could be a case of doing too much rather than too little. Most people use too hard of a toothbrush and put too much pressure on it, thinking that they have to scour their teeth to make them clean, much like cleaning a dirty, caked on dish. This actually can do lots of damage to teeth and gums. Instead, you should use a soft toothbrush and gently brush the teeth while focusing on massaging your gums to bring much needed circulation to your gums (and letting your body help you fight infection this way).

Secondly, most people have never been taught to properly floss either, so they tend to mangle and cut their gums rather than wriggle food particles out. Your dentist or dental hygienist should be able to show you how to correctly apply both these methods without damaging your soft tissues with heavy-handedness.

My next point was a hard pill for even me to swallow. You see, I have been using baking soda and peroxide as my "toothpaste" for the past 5 years, trying to be as natural as possible and throwing out chemical, commercial toothpaste. I liked it and didn't like the alternatives. Even so-called natural toothpastes have unnecessary or unwanted ingredients (like glycerin, which prevents your teeth from remineralizing with your natural saliva). I, too, practiced good hygiene; brushing and flossing every day and eating a healthy diet, but my oral health still wasn't where I expected it to be.

When I stumbled onto Dr. Ellie's blog I was disappointed to see that she does NOT recommend baking soda because of the effect she's seen on her patients' gums. Her insights have thrown off some of my thoughts and arrogance concerning natural tooth care. In this post she addresses this issue: http://ultimateoralhealthguide.com/2009/03/20/home-made-toothpaste/ . I'll quote a few sentences that caught my eye regarding your condition-

"I have seen baking soda used without problems for a few days, but after repeated use (over months or years) the gums start to disappear. There is no pain or swelling associated with this recession just a loss of gum tissue. This problem can be very severe to the point of people loosing teeth because of this."

Sound familiar? The reason I bring this up is two-fold. First, the main ingredient of Ecodent natural tooth powder is baking soda (baking soda is also mentioned in the first article I linked as a possible cause of gum recession). Secondly, I wanted you to know that I am NOT one who would normally buy any commercial body care products, including fluoride toothpaste. Most of my friends call me a" hippy", as I use the information here on EC as my "health care provider". However, Dr. Ellie has written very compelling evidence for the reasons she has recommended the products that she does.

In the one week (! ) that I've faithfully applied her full program, I have noticed great improvements in the markers of oral health that I felt I was previously failing at. My teeth are whiter and stronger, my front bottom teeth feel "tighter" in the gums (they previously felt "loose"), and I no longer bleed while brushing or flossing. Now, I'm not saying that these things will all happen for you, as you seem to have a much more advanced case than I, but you might! She has many other testimonials similar to mine.

I'm treading lightly here, as I have been amazed at the success I've found, but am very much aware of the dissonance this might create here in EC. Her system uses a series of mouth rinses and a commercial fluoride toothpaste, as well as timely application of xylitol products. She approves of very specific products and goes into detail about why they work. Yes, you read that- fluoride However, if you really take the time to understand the information she presents (across her whole blog), you may just decide to follow her program as well. If you are at all concerned about fluoride, like I am, start with this page:

http://ultimateoralhealthguide.com/2013/03/27/the-fluoride-debate-two-sides-to-every-story/

My recommendations are to look at the links I've posted, do some digging, and find out what will work for you. I know that if I was in your position that I would try to avoid surgery at if all possible (which you seem to as well). Also, I echo another poster in advocating the use of essential oils, especially clove, to deal with your mouth pain. Garlic, too, has seemed to help many others on this forum. Use the search bar above to find relevant posts. If anything, xylitol is also an excellent tool to explore using for dental health, with decades of research backing its efficacy in Europe.

I do not believe that oil pulling is what has been causing your recent discomfort, however I do not know that for sure. You might consider changing your oil to some other oil (maybe you're allergic?) as well as practicing good dietary habits. Drink an appropriate amount of water (coincidentally most people drink too much and flush their body's electrolytes away-see The Water Cure for more info), eat enough protein (since your body needs to build up your gum tissue and repair it), and be kind to yourself!

Good luck, and I hope that I've given you some useful information to help you. Give us an update if you can!

Could be the type of oil. If it is a liquid bottled in plastic, that could cause problems. I've only been OP for a couple weeks but am very happy with the results reducing my sensitivity. I use coconut oil. It is in plastic but it is not in liquid form so I assume there is less absorption of the toxins.

I don't think new enamel grows back..... You've got what you've got.

Dear Aq from Oakland, I'm sorry you are in so much pain. I have treated gum swelling and pain from wisdom tooth movement successfully with pure peppermint oil or pure clove oil on numerous occasions. I apply with Q-tip to all my gum lines and especially to the affected area.

However, I don't have a pocket, amalgam fillings or do regular oil pulling so I cannot speak directly to those concerns. All I know is the pure essential oil application takes away my pain within 15-20 mins. Also if you have an infection I believe both of these oils are good anti microbials. I brush with baking soda and 3% hydrogen peroxide and my gums seem much happier for it. I see new enamel growing since switch away from regular toothpaste.

I hope this helps and you feel well again soon!

I put some baking soda and coconut on in my bite guard and stuck it on my teeth and the sensitivity called down and I notice my teeth and gums went tight on me.

It was weird - like the teeth were more crowded together and the gums were all pulled up on them. I plan to be more careful with the baking soda, I had used the coconut oil in the guard a few times before and it seemed to loosen the guard on the sides... with no soda and they seemed relaxed, not tight.

I don't oil pull but the coconut oil has been miraculous. White, clean, less sensitive.