There are many myths and realities regarding the health and use of organic products to attain specific goals, and the dental world is not barred from it. Staining and cavities on teeth are typical, and people first want to resort to DIY methods, one of which is using coconut oil to whiten teeth; but is it effective?
What is the reality behind this?
Coconut oil has always been in the limelight for various reasons. Many believe that helps get those extra pounds off, prevent heart diseases or help with UTIs, apart from whitening teeth.
Let’s have a look at the infamous coconut oil pulling method to see whether it is good for your teeth or not.
Can Coconut Oil Pulling Successfully Whiten Teeth?
Research shows that coconut oil is rich in lauric acid and constitutes almost 50% of the whole thing giving it antimicrobial properties. Coconut oil is effective on a few bacterial strains that cause troubles in your teeth, like decay.
Moreover, coconut oil has fatty acid content that may dissolve and get rid of plaque accumulation on the teeth surface, but does it visibly whiten teeth? Not really; it clears out the film-like layer and eliminates bacteria.
Usually, coconut oil is used as a mouthwash after brushing teeth; it takes the unwanted material with the swish and swirls with it. This step significantly reduces halitosis (bad breath).
But, how does it work on teeth? Well, “the pulling action” of coconut oil is basically taking off toxins from the teeth and entire oral cavity. It pulls stains off your enamel layer to give a brightening effect.
Benefits of Using Coconut Oil
What makes coconut oil a popular choice to whiten teeth? Firstly, coconut oil is a natural extract posing minimal adverse health risks. Additionally, it also has a few medicinal properties rendering it a spot in ayurvedic medicine.
Although coconut oil pulling may not whiten your teeth as such, it has cleaning or other benefits for the oral cavity, some of which are mentioned below:
- Enzyme activation in the saliva helps take in chemical or environmental toxins.
- It initiates an antioxidant chain to kill bacteria; it does so by attacking their cell walls, causing death.
- Heighten the saponification index with the help of lauric acid, which minimizes plaque adhesion and cleans the mouth.
- Prevention of halitosis – bad odor from the mouth.
- It accentuates the body’s metabolism; this helps in healing and increasing longevity.
- It fights multiple gum diseases by pulling plaque and bacteria out.
Final Words
Brushing and flossing are the primary methods of cleaning your mouth to ward off bacterial manifestation in them, and no way can coconut oil pulling replace it. If you are looking for teeth whitening options, head to Smiles Forever Dental to explore your options. Call (661) 666-4433 to make an appointment.