As holistic dentists, we here at Aesthetic Family Dentistry are very interested in complementary medicine.
Especially those therapies can use natural products to help improve overall health and wellbeing. Once such complementary product is oregano oil. It has some surprising benefits for your oral health.
With a good percentage of American adults having periodontal disease, anything that can help reduce infection and bacterial growth has to be a good thing. If that product is natural, low cost and easy to obtain, all the better!
Oregano oil and its health benefits
If you’re a regular reader on our blog, you will likely already know that periodontal disease is caused by a buildup of bacteria in the mouth that has been missed by brushing and flossing. This bacteria creates plaque, which provides a home for more bacteria and weakens teeth and gums.
Oregano oil has proven antibacterial properties that can help tackle this bacteria. It is also known to boost the immune system, help with fungi, reduce the effects of some allergies and act as an antioxidant. It is that first property that we are most interested in, the antibacterial property.
Used in a tiny dose a couple of times a day, oregano oil helps fight the bacteria in the mouth. Integrated into a daily oral health routine alongside brushing and flossing, it can provide essential backup for toothpaste and floss.
Oil pulling
You can use oregano oil in a couple of ways. You can use a drop of the oil on a fingertip and rub along the gum line or mix with another carrier oil to perform oil pulling. This is a practice gaining a lot of popularity thanks to being so effective.
Essentially, oil pulling is the mixing of an essential oil, in this case, oregano oil and a medium such as olive or coconut oil. Mixed together, you can use this oil as a mouthwash. You only need a drop of oregano oil into a tablespoon of carrier oil as essential oils are very concentrated. Make sure to follow the instructions on the bottle.
Make a mixture, swirl all around the mouth like a mouthwash for 10 to 15 minutes. Run the oil around your entire mouth, covering all the teeth and gums, the palate and then pull through the gaps between teeth for full coverage. Then spit out the oil as it will be full of bacteria and either drink something or rinse your mouth to remove the oily texture.
As a complementary therapy, oil pulling with oregano oil is a very effective way to help boost your oral health. You will notice immediate benefits in terms of breath and that clean feeling but longer term, you should experience those added benefits like a more effective immune system and cleaner teeth.
If you would like to discuss complementary dental therapies or need a checkup, contact Aesthetic Family Dentistry today to schedule a consultation.
