Coconut Oil Is Better Than Any Toothpaste According To New Study

A recent research at the Athlone University of Technology focused on the effects of different natural oils on the bacteria in the mouth, and coconut oil was the clear winner. The research was based on an earlier study which discovered that digested milk makes it harder for the Streptococcus mutans to stick to the tooth enamel.

Enzyme-modified coconut oil – the toothpaste of the future!

The research discovered that if you treat coconut oil with digestive enzymes it will stop the growth of the bad bacteria in the mouth and prevent various oral diseases. S. mutans is a bacteria that produces acid that can chip away the tooth enamel and increases the risk of tooth decay. It affects 60-90% of all children and a great number of adults in industrialized countries.

It has been long-known that coconut oil can kill bacteria, but further studies on the subject conducted at the Autumn Meeting of the Society for General Microbiology at the University of Warwick suggested that treating the oil with digestive enzymes may even kill Candida albicans, a yeast that is the main cause of thrush. “Incorporating enzyme-modified coconut oil into dental hygiene products would be an attractive alternative to chemical additives, particularly as it works at relatively low concentrations.

Also, with increasing antibiotic resistance, it is important that we turn our attention to new ways to combat microbial infection,” says Dr Damien Brady, lead researcher on the study who works at the Athlone Institute of Technology in the Republic of Ireland. The research means a lot for our oral and digestive health. “Our data suggests that products of human digestion show antimicrobial activity. This could have implications for how bacteria colonize the cells lining the digestive tract and for overall gut health,” says Dr. Brady.

How to use coconut oil to improve our oral health

Using a spoonful of coconut oil to clean your teeth and improve the oral health is a great idea as the oil doesn’t contain fluoride and does a better job than any toothpaste or mouth wash.

Oil pulling

Swish a spoonful of coconut oil in your mouth for 15-20 minutes, then spit it out and rinse with water.

Coconut oil toothpaste recipe

Ingredients:

  • Half a cup of coconut oil
  • 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda
  • 15-30 drops of peppermint essential oil

Preparation:

First, melt the coconut oil and blend it with the other ingredients, then pour it into a glass jar and allow it to cool down. Use the mixture as a normal toothpaste and see the effects for yourself.