Using coconut oil to improve oral health is a little-known secret I recently discovered, thanks to a friend on Twitter who posted about brushing his teeth with coconut oil.
I’ve used coconut oil as a facial and body moisturizer for over 8 years, which has made my skin feel and look (and me) a big favor. Without a doubt, it’s kept me looking younger and fresher with glowing skin instead of the puffy and pasty look I used to have.
Basically, I use coconut oil everywhere – on my body, my hair, and in my food too! However, due to its slightly off-putting taste, the thought never crossed my mind to use it to brush my teeth.
The coincidence and reason I began to use coconut oil to brush my teeth
When I read my friend’s comment about using coconut oil for oral hygiene, I essentially “brushed it off” and forgot about it.
One day during my travels, I ran out of toothpaste, and it was too late or too far to buy more. That’s when I recalled the idea of using coconut oil to brush your teeth – so I did. To my surprise, it didn’t taste anywhere near as bad as I thought.
Okay, you don’t get that fresh minty feeling or taste as you do with conventional toothpaste, but you’re also not consuming the chemicals they put in that said toothpaste, because coconut oil is 100% natural.
What happened to my teeth and gums after 1 month of using coconut oil?
Despite not having any problems with my teeth (ever) since I started the keto-carnivore diet – which is sugar-free – I sometimes felt some discomfort (a tingling sensation with a couple of teeth) when drinking ice-cold water.
When I went for a routine tooth cleaning session 6 months ago, I was told I was developing a small cavity in one of my teeth. That surprised me, considering none of my food or drink contained sugar.
I must admit, however, that I did feel a little pain in that tooth while eating back then, so I understood the cavity was developing despite my healthy diet.
Here’s the kicker!
I had a tooth and gum checkup again a few days ago to discover the “cavity” was no longer there. The dentist was surprised, to say the least. He said it must have been a mistake on his end – a misdiagnosis.
But then I told him about my new coconut teeth-brushing routine, which almost grounded him. Now, he’s also experimenting with using coconut oil instead of factory-made toothpaste.
The many benefits of coconut oil for oral hygiene
• Contains No Harmful Chemicals
Across the consumer marketplace, there has been an uptick in concern about the chemicals in the products used daily. It’s found that conventional toothpastes contain a chemical called triclosan, which in studies has been linked with antibiotic resistance.
Coconut oil contains no harmful chemicals and is a completely natural product.
• Cost-Effective
With many people now concerned about the cost of dental treatment and the toothpaste they purchase regularly, it’s important to find low-cost oral care products. Coconut oil is inexpensive and can be found at low prices at many stores within your local community.
• Whitens Teeth
Using coconut oil as part of a daily oral care regimen isn’t just recommended for health reasons – it can also improve the aesthetics of teeth. People have reported they’ve experienced significantly whiter teeth almost instantly after use.
Within two weeks, many have found that coconut oil can produce the same or better whitening results as conventional whitening strips.
• Eliminates Bacteria
In addition to using oil to brush their teeth, people can significantly improve their overall health by swishing coconut oil in their mouths for a few minutes daily.
Oil pulling (the process of swishing with oil and pulling bacteria from the teeth) can help remove toxins and other elements from the mouth.
This has numerous additional benefits.
For example, it has been shown the process can improve bad breath and can help prevent bacterial infections that can often impact several areas of the body over time.
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Final Thoughts
My advice, based on personal experience for 1 month, is to begin exploring the benefits coconut oil can bring to your oral health and well-being.
You will be surprised to learn that you’ve found an affordable and healthy alternative to conventional chemical-based oral care products!
Rob
MBA from Robert Kennedy College & University of Cumbria, UK.
Certified Nutritionist & Health Coach | Trainer | Blogger | Copywriter | Author
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