Today’s post piggybacks on a post I did a couple of years ago about “oil pulling.” If you’re not familiar with the practice of oil pulling, I recommend going back and reading that post to get a good introduction to the topic. But basically, the practice of oil pulling involves swishing some sort of oil (commonly coconut oil) around in your mouth for anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes at a time, to promote oral health.
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Read More: Oil Pulling for a Healthier Mouth
The general idea is that the oil helps to dissolve the plaque and gunk trapped between your teeth. If you’ve never tried it before, I encourage you to give it a go! You’ll be surprised at just how clean your teeth will feel after oil pulling, then giving them a good brushing.
But recently I thought to myself (because I just can’t leave well enough alone,) why not take this to the next level and incorporate essential oils into the mix? Peppermint essential oil immediately came to mind as the natural choice because it would lend that fresh, minty flavor that we’ve come to associate with oral health products. But peppermint essential oil also has antiseptic properties, just like your favorite mouthwash, which can help keep your mouth clean and free of infection. So just by adding peppermint essential oil, we’re bumping up the benefits of oil pulling, and making it taste great, too!
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t do oil pulling as often as I’d like to. But I thought that whipping up some simple coconut oil tablets to have at the ready would make it more likely I’d just do it!
Here’s how you can make your own flavored coconut oil tablets at home.
Flavored Coconut Oil Tablets for Oil Pulling
You’ll need:
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 10 drops peppermint essential oil
- small silicone mold
Directions:
Start by warming your coconut oil just a bit so that it liquifies completely. You can place it in a small bowl and microwave it for a few seconds, or just place the coconut oil into a jar set inside a pan of simmering water.
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Once your coconut oil has melted, add the 10 drops of peppermint essential oil.
Use a wooden spoon or a skewer to stir the peppermint into the coconut oil.
Carefully pour the flavored coconut oil into the wells of your silicone mold. I had a small silicone mold with flower-shaped wells lying around that worked perfectly for this.
Let the coconut oil solidify by popping the mold into your freezer for a while.
When the coconut oil has solidified, carefully push each tablet out of the mold, and store them in an airtight container. If you live in a warm climate, or your house tends to run on the warm side, you may want to keep your container of coconut oil tabs in your fridge, just to ensure that they don’t accidentally melt on you.
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To use, just pop one of the coconut oil tabs into your mouth, and swish away! :-)
*Be sure to spit the used oil into the trashcan – not the sink! The coconut oil can solidify in the pipes, leaving you with a clog.
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Green Living Natural Remedies
