"Oil pulling is an old Ayurvedic remedy that involves swishing oil around your mouth for 15-20 minutes ideally 1st thing in the morning or on an empty stomach. It is said to 'pull' toxins from the body with the intention of improving oral & overall health. I’ve been using coconut oil as it is anti-bacterial & anti-fungal & even though I had tried it sporadically in the past & didn’t notice much difference, this time I’ve stuck with it for almost 2 weeks & have noticed some very positive changes.
My (Lynda McFarland) teeth seem to be a bit whiter & my gums.  Teeth feel a lot stronger.
15-20 minutes is a long time but it can be done while in the shower, getting dressed etc. which makes it do-able.

A research team from Athlone (Ireland) Institute of Technology tested this old Indian folk remedy in their labs back in 2012.
They tested 3 oils: coconut, olive & vegetable oil, first in their natural state & then treated with enzymes, by way of simulating the digestive process.
They tested the oils against Streptococcus bacteria which are commonly found in the mouth & throat.
The enzyme treated coconut oil tested positively to inhibiting the growth of most strains of the bacteria as well as a bacterium called Streptococcus mutans, which is a major cause of tooth decay.

It seems that our digestive enzymes react with the coconut oil to produce an acidic environment where bacteria find it difficult to thrive.  Furthermore, the anti-fungal properties of the coconut oil were found to attack the yeast which causes thrush so good news for candida sufferers."