Alternative dental care can show us various options to look after our teeth differently. A study published in the Daily Mail has shown that swilling your mouth with coconut oil as part of your oral health routine can benefit the health of your teeth and gums. The report – originally published in a Nigerian medical journal – claims that the practice can reduce plaque and gum disease, whiten teeth and boost the immune system.

Is it just hype?

Here at Bristol dentist practice CK Dental, we are always interested in anything that can help improve oral health. However, we would advise our patients against using coconut oil in place of their usual brushing and flossing routine.

The study was very clear that participants performed the ‘oil pulling’ ritual as part of their usual oral hygiene regime – alongside brushing and flossing. Although the results were positive, more studies would need to be seen for us to recommend this as everyday oral healthcare.

What’s the best thing to do to keep my teeth healthy?

The most important things that you can do to ensure that your teeth and gums remain in the best possible health are to visit a dentist regularly and to brush and floss your teeth twice a day.

At our Bristol dentist practice we are aware of all the fads that come and go in the dental world, but brushing and flossing have never wavered! If you really want to make a change and invest some money in your teeth, the best thing you could do would be to sign up to our Denplan scheme (click here to get in touch for more info), to ensure you never have to miss another dental appointment for cash flow reasons.

Long-term gain

One other important thing to remember about oil pulling is that whilst this study does show an improvement in the short term, the long-term effects of the practice have not been investigated. Until more evidence is forthcoming, we here at CK Dental recommend sticking with what you know: brush and floss twice daily, and visit your dentist regularly!