motivaOil pulling. If you’re surrounded by people who are involved in the newest health trends, you’ve probably heard this terms. Although it kind of sounds like something that the U.S. government would be doing after they invaded afghanistan, it stems from much further east (obviously). It apparently started in India a really long time ago, and they still do it there today.
So essentially what it’s about, is swishing a natural vegetable oil around in your mouth and after that, continuing to swish.. And keep on swishing. It may seem kind of gross, but it has a slew of benefits like maintaining your oral health, keeping gingivitis at bay, whitening teeth, and making your breath more fresh. But why and how might 
you ask, assumably shaking your head. Well, the enzymes from the fat of the oil get all up in your mouth and pull the bacteria out of there like a character in GTA pulling an old lady out of her car. After the bacteria’s been pulled out of your mouth, gums and throat, the idea is that you’re gonna wanna spit that out in the garbage. I know that you’re probably used to spitting toothpaste down the drain, but this oil might clog up your plumbing pipes as it does with your body’s pipes.
So to recap, take some oil, preferably coconut or sesame oil because who knows, they’ve probably also been using those in india for millions of years. I personally use coconut oil, because it’s already known for its antibacterial properties. So, swish that around your mouth for like ten minutes, and spit that bacteria out. You might be questioning this saying “what about the rest of my body?” Well, apparently, a big percentage of bacteria in your system hangs out in your mouth, entering your body that way. Furthermore, your body goes through enormous stress trying to clear out last weeks cheetos and its bacteria out of your mouth. After you’ve oil pulled, you’ve reduced all that stress. Now your body can focus on other parts of it that need bacteria clearing.
Now once you spit out the oil, you’re gonna wanna give your teeth a quick brush to clean out the residual oil and whatever else that you’ve pulled. And that’s it, it’s as simple as that.
I’ve only spoken about oral hygiene benefits of oil pulling, but that’s not the only thing that has people running around swishing and looking like 
mimes trying to communicate with people. It can also help with relieving all sorts of pains. Think migraines and hangovers. It even improves your sleep quality and helps with acne. Fascinating isn’t it?
Now I don’t think this is the secret to immortality that the pharmaceutical companies have been hiding from you despite what the buzzfeed article might tell you. It is however much more than a new fad or trend as lot’s of doctors have endorsed it. The science also makes sense if you look further into it. And let’s face it , everyone wants whiter teeth and better breath. So come on, get some oil and join in on the swishing.