Oil Pulling - For A Brighter Smile And Great Health
Gandusha, commonly called oil pulling, is a very powerful ayurvedic ritual with an endless list of benefits. Some of you may be raising your eyebrows with shock, but believe me, it’s a wonderful and simple addition to improving not only your dental but overall health.
Here is what Charaka Samhita, an ancient ayurvedic text states about Gandushi: “Keeping of oil gargle provides strength in jaws and voice, development of the face, maximum taste and relish of food. One does not suffer from dryness of throat, lip cracking and teeth become firmly rooted. The teeth do not ache or become sensitive and can chew the hardest food items”.
But oil pulling benefits go far beyond whiter teeth and clean mouth; it strengthens the immune system, heals hoarse voice, receding gums, eczema, ulcers, nerve diseases, facial palsy, insomnia, dryness of the skin, even infertility.
HOW TO DO IT
Oil pulling is most beneficial when done first thing in the morning, using some warm, organic, unrefined, cold-pressed oil: sesame, coconut or any other good quality oil you have in your kitchen cupboard. Chose one which agrees with you in terms of the taste and remember, this is a morning ritual.
Before you start, scrub the white coating off your tongue (these are your undeigested toxins which you don’t want to ingest again) with either a copper or silver tongue scraper as these metals prevent the build up of bacteria on the tools.
Make sure you warm up your oil before you start. I simply keep mine in a small glass bottle and heat it up by emerging the bottle it a cup of hot water for a minute or so.
Take a sip of oil and swish & gargle for 2-3 minutes all around your mouth; you can do it while getting change, taking shower or preparing your breakfast.
Once finished, spit out the oil either to the toilet or a container since the gargled oil contains bacteria pulled out from the body, which may be harmful.
At this point you can additionally rinse your mouth with warm salted water (you can use normal table salt but more beneficial would be Himalayan pink salt). Salted water has antibacterial, soothing, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties.
Always brush your teeth straight away using fluoride-free toothpaste.