Coconut oil is being noticed by many people because of its benefits.
This oil brings very many health benefits, including weight loss .
There are also claims that coconut oil can cleanse, whiten teeth and prevent tooth decay.
This article will cover the latest research on coconut oil and dental health
What is coconut oil?
Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the meat of the coconut and is one of the best sources of saturated fat in the world.
However, coconut fat is special because its composition is mostly medium chain triglycerides (MCTs).
MCTs are metabolized differently from long-chain fatty acids found in most other foods and have many health benefits.
Lauric acid is an average chain fatty acid accounting for nearly 50% of coconut oil. In fact, this oil is the most abundant source of human lauric acid known.
Our body breaks down lauric acid into a compound called monolaurin. Both lauric and monolaurin can kill harmful bacteria, fungi and viruses in the body.
According to the study, lauric acid is more effective in killing these pathogens than any saturated fatty acid .
Moreover, studies show that many health benefits related to coconut oil are directly coming from lauric acid .
The most common way to use coconut oil on teeth is called "oil pulling", or as a toothpaste. Both of these ways will be covered in this article.
Conclude: Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the meat of coconut. It has a high content of lauric acid, which kills harmful bacteria, fungi and viruses in the body.
Lauric acid can kill harmful bacteria in the oral cavity
One study tested 30 different fatty acids and compared their resistance to bacteria.
In all fatty acids, lauric acid is most effective .
Lauric acid attacks harmful bacteria that cause bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease .
This fatty acid is also particularly effective in killing an oral bacteria called Streptococcus mutans, which is the leading cause of tooth decay.
Conclude: Lauric acid in coconut oil attacks harmful bacteria that cause bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease.
Helps reduce plaque and fight gum disease
Gum disease is also called gingivitis.
The main cause of this disease is caused by plaque caused by harmful bacteria accumulating on teeth.
Recent research suggests that coconut oil can alleviate plaque on teeth and fight gum disease.
In one study, the method of pulling oil with coconut oil significantly reduced the accumulation of plaque and signs of gingivitis in 60 people with gum disease .
Moreover, they found that plaque had decreased significantly after only 7 days of making oil pulling, and plaque continued to decline for 30 days of study.
After 30 days, average plaque index decreased by 68% and average gingivitis index decreased by 56%. This is a significant reduction in plaque and gingivitis.
Conclude: Implementing oil pulling with coconut oil helps reduce plaque by attacking harmful bacteria in the mouth. Coconut oil can also help fight gum disease.
Prevent tooth decay and tooth loss
Coconut oil attacks two major bacteria groups that cause tooth decay Mutan Streptococcus and Lactobacillus .
Some studies have shown that the effect of reducing the above bacteria of oil is not inferior to chlorhexidine - an active ingredient used in many mouthwashes .
For these reasons, coconut oil can help prevent tooth decay and tooth loss.
Conclude: Coconut oil attacks harmful bacteria that cause tooth decay. Studies have shown that this oil can be as effective as some mouthwashes.
How to implement oil pulling with coconut oil
Oil pulling is gradually becoming a trend, but this is not a new method.
In fact, this method originates from India thousands of years ago.
Oil pulling is performed by soaking the oil in the mouth for 15 to 20 minutes and then spitting it out. In other words, we will use coconut oil as mouthwash.
Here's how:
- Add a tablespoon of coconut oil to your mouth.
- Put oil in the middle of your teeth for about 15-20 minutes.
- Spit the oil out (spit in the trash or toilet because the oil may clog the pipe).
- Brush teeth.
When doing oil pulling, the fatty acids in the oil will attract and trap bacteria, so you can remove harmful bacteria and plaque from the oral cavity.
The best time to do oil pulling is in the morning, before you eat or drink.
Conclude: Oil pulling is a method of rinsing your mouth with oil for 15 to 20 minutes and then spitting it out. This helps eliminate harmful bacteria and plaque.
Homemade toothpaste from coconut oil
Coconut oil has many uses , and you can also use it to make toothpaste yourself.
Here's a simple toothpaste recipe:
Ingredient
- Half a cup of coconut oil.
- 2 tablespoons baking soda.
- 10-20 drops of peppermint or cinnamon essential oil.
Making
- Heat until coconut oil is soft or loose.
- Add baking soda and stir until the mixture thickens
- Add essential oil.
- Store toothpaste in a sealed container.
When used, give toothpaste a brush, brush your teeth for 2 minutes, then rinse your mouth.
Conclude: In addition to oil pulling, you can also use coconut oil to make toothpaste yourself by combining coconut oil with baking soda and essential oils.
Things to remember
Coconut oil attacks harmful bacteria in the oral cavity.
Coconut oil can also reduce plaque, prevent tooth decay and fight gum disease.
For these reasons, oil pulling or brushing with coconut oil can significantly improve dental health.
