Oil Pulling Method for Beauty

 

I've always been weirded out by organic extremism. I proactively choose organic food, purchase simpler products with wholesome ingredients, avoid as much multi-hyphenated artificial-sounding substances to put in my mouth or on my skin, but there's an entirely different level of organic extremism like oil pulling that's just too absurd for me to include in my regular beauty regimen. 

What exactly is oil pulling? 

When I first read about oil pulling, I was like, oil... pulling... how do you pull oil? what? An elderly hippie on one of my social media accounts posted about it and she's always been into ayurvedic, non-traditional, tree-hugging practices, so I was sure oil pulling was just one of those things weird people do to keep their spirits vital or something. 

So I scrolled away and forgot about it.

And then COVID-19 happened and even traditional doctors were singing praises for Virgin Coconut Oil. And every woman, even those in their early 20s, were suddenly into essential oils. And skincare groups were all going crazy about topical oils. Oils were suddenly everywhere and I naturally had to see what the commotion was all about. 

Oil Pulling is basically swishing oil inside your mouth for a few minutes to "pull" bacteria and other pathogens from the nooks and crannies between your teeth, around your tonsils, under your tongue, etc. It's a crazy concept when you think about it. It's kind of like using regular mouthwash except you're gargling this sticky, runny, odd-smelling liquid inside your mouth for up to 30 minutes. You spit it out, and according to Ayurveda, all the dirty, disease-causing stuff in your mouth are expelled with the oil. 

Why you need to gargle it for that long (10 to 30 minutes is a long time for a gargle), and why it has to be oil when we have modern mouthwashes doing exactly the same thing, are just beyond me.

I gave in and tried oil pulling just to see if it's worth all those minutes and jaw exercise. 

There are several types of oil that can be used for oil pulling, but I had VCO (Virgin Coconut Oil) and I thought hey the doctors said this kills COVID-19 virus so. Other oils I've tried so far are sesame oil and olive oil - they taste just as horrible.

At any given time, there's at least 350 different types of bacteria in a person's mouth. Some of these are beneficial bacteria, some cause bad breath, gum disease, and tooth decay. Anti-bacterial oils such as VCO are effective in killing bad bacteria. This study compares oil pulling with VCO with gargling with mouthwash. It turns out both are effective at getting rid of harmful bacteria in the mouth. 

Aside from anti-bacterial properties, certain types of oils are anti-inflammatory and are effective at helping with existing gum and throat diseases. And though anecdotal, there are claims that oil pulling is also effective at making teeth whiter by removing surface stains. 

How to do oil pulling - steps:

1. Measure 1 tablespoon of edible or food grade oil such as sunflower oil or olive oil.

2. Swish it in your mouth for 5 to 30 minutes. You can work your way up from 5 minutes on the first week, 10 minutes on the second week, etc. 

3. Spit into the trash and be careful not to spit it in the sink or toilet because the oil buildup can cause clogs later on. 

4. Gargle with water. 

5. Do this 3 days a week on the first week, and work your way up to once a day to three times a day. 

As you can tell, this is not for people with busy schedules. I still wonder if this is worth all the hassle. But I mean, I live to multitask and I've worked my way up to oil pulling more than once a day. I can tell that my teeth have brightened and evened out in tone, and my gums are less sensitive. I also noticed that this has helped with my dry lips and scratchy throat.

Beauty claims

Take this list with a grain of salt. The reasoning behind these claims is that oil pulling "pulls" out "toxins" from the body to improve overall health. I have personally experienced some positive dental effects of this method, but the rest on this list are yet to be seen:

• Whiter, brighter teeth
• Healthier gums
• Fresher breath
• Improved jaw pain from TMJ disorder
• Better sleep
• Clearer sinuses
• Prevention of headaches
• Improvement in skin conditions like acne, eczema and psoriasis

I honestly aim to see these results so I'm sticking with oil pulling while my VCO supply lasts. I'm particularly careful with my jaw movements because of my TMJ issues - aggressive gargling can trigger pain points. I'm still not buying the whole pulling out toxins claim, but if I see results, whether by placebo or ayurvedic voodoo, then I ain't complaining. I want blinding white teeth. And maybe perfect skin... from gargling oil... this whole concept is still beyond me. 

So I finally had my wisdom teeth extracted

It took me 3 months, 4 blog posts (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) and about P6,000 to get rid of my three problematic wisdom teeth. I'm supposed to have all four removed, but apparently PGH Dentistry has a cutoff of 3 pm (or 3:30), we started at 1 pm and by the time my doctor was done with my third tooth, it was already 4:30! My upper left wisdom tooth was unerrupted so it took my doctor over an hour to make sure none of its bits were left under the gums. I still have one wisdom tooth intact, which I plan to keep unless/until it causes a problem. The original plan was to get all four of them extracted, but what happened after the removal of the third tooth made me change my mind.

I had a horrible post-operative experience. See, I didn't check myself in the mirror until an hour after surgery. I saw my reflection in the rearview mirror of the cab I was in and noticed that my lips were swollen and the surrounding skin red and patchy and a little itchy. I dismissed it as normal even though it looked real scary up close in my compact mirror. I continued to ice my cheek and jaw area and convinced myself that everything's okay. I started noticing that there's something off when my throat started to itch. It started with a tiny area, the itch would then turn into sore numbness (??) and then little by little it felt like half of my throat was sore and numb that I was struggling to swallow my saliva. When it felt like 3/4 of my throat was closing (I do not know how to better describe it), I texted my doctor and asked if it's normal. I was choking on my saliva. It turned out I had a bad reaction to the anesthesia - which was weird because I've had anesthesia several times before (dental extractions, childbirth) and never had a reaction.

When I got home, I asked my husband to take me to the local hospital. I thought it wouldn't be wise to go back to PGH anyway as Dentistry was already closed so any GP at the nearest hospital can do the job. The doctor at the local hospital did not know what to do with me as he has never encountered a case like mine. He kept on asking me to open my mouth to check my throat. I insisted I just had my wisdom teeth extracted and I wouldn't be able to open my mouth even if I wanted to. (TRISMUS, doc, you can google it!) He thought I was being maarte. I mean, my life's in danger, why on earth will I shut my mouth for no reason? Did I not look like my life's danger just by the looks of my swollen effed up face? He first prescribed me oral antihistamines (my throat was swollen and numb, how was I supposed to take an oral medication?!), but then reconsidered my suggestion of maybe giving me something intravenously.

We went home after an hour. My throat was still sore and numb but I figured I'll just tough it out at home. The doctor's rudeness wasn't going to make the tightness of my throat go away, so I decided I'll just go home and rest and pray that it will go away on its own. It didn't go away until the next day.

This isn't me, but the swelling after the surgery looked like this. It got way worse by the third day. My cheeks hurt from the stretching. 

I just took the antibiotics prescribed by my dentist, avoided eating as much as I could and rested the next three days. The swelling abated by the fourth day. I started looking normal by the seventh day, although the tenderness was still there. It's now the tenth day and my only concern is the open wound from the bottom right extraction. The stitches unraveled by the fourth day and now there's a scary looking gap that always has food stuck in there. My sister suggested rinsing my mouth with turmeric, which I now do after eating, and then I'll brush my teeth, and then I'll rinse with Orahex (Chlorhexidine Gluconate) - so much trouble after eating that I sometimes do not bother eating at all.

I had my follow up check up on the sixth day. My doctor saw the unraveled stitches but reassured me that the wound would heal on its own, it would just take a bit longer than if the stitches didn't unravel. I'm still scared, my sister developed infections by her third week post-surgery!

If I don't update this post, it only means I didn't develop an infection and things turned out fine. Hoping for the best. ~

P.S. I spent about P300 (or less, sorry forgot the exact amount) on the day of the operation for X-rays (about P120), anesthesia (about P120), and doctor's fee (about P60). So yes, I spent about P6,000 in total for everything.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction at PGH Part 3

Oh my. This is taking forever. Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here.

So I went to PGH at 7 am yesterday all prepared to have my 4 wisdom teeth extracted. I brought the dental supplies I bought from Bambang and Quiapo. I ate all the right food and braced myself for the week of pain. Alas, surgery was rescheduled.

Last week, I was told to get clearance from the Endocrinologist at the Internal Medicine department. The doctor I was assigned to was already out that day, so I had to get an appointment the following week - which was yesterday. I was given a 7 am slot, so I thought I'd have enough time until my 10 am wisdom tooth extractions. Apparently, a 7 am appointment at the IM department meant having to wait in line among dozens of other patients (there were more than 50). By the time I was called in, it was already 11 am and my dentist decided it's best that we reschedule because Hospital Dentistry department only operates half day on Wednesdays.

I was annoyed. Not at the dentist, but at myself for expecting things will go smoothly as planned. I didn't realize it was a government hospital and there are hundreds of sick people all demanding to be treated for free. I felt embarrassed when the old woman who sat next to me asked me what I did for a living and how much money I earn. She said, "O kaya mo naman pala mag private." I told her spending P50,000 when you have the option of spending only P5,000 is not exactly smart. I mean I have as much right as her to get free medical treatments from government hospitals (I AM A TAX-PAYING FILIPINO CITIZEN) but I still felt a tinge of guilt for sitting in their midst.

As a side note, I would like to commend all the doctors, nurses and staff at PGH. I've visited other public hospitals, and none of their people are as kind, patient and professional as the ones in PGH. I do not know if PGH pays them fairly, because I know other public hospitals don't pay their people well - I'm not sure if this is why PGH people can handle stress better than workers at other public hospitals. It's also possible that PGH is run by decent people at the management level. The steps and processes from registration to treatment to follow up checkups are well-designed. The facilities are old, but they're waaay cleaner than some private hospitals here in Malolos. I was expecting my whole treatment would already have been completed last month because it was that quick for my sister - it only took her a month and a half - but it's all my fault for dragging this treatment this long.

If you happen to have health issues like me that would require you to get clearance before getting your wisdom teeth extracted, I suggest you go to a private doctor to get that clearance. It's faster that way. You won't have to wait an entire day only to be asked to come back the next day for lab (PGH LABORATORY CLOSES AT 10 AM) and then come back the following week to see the same doctor for his damned signature on your clearance form. If you go to a private doctor, you'll have the clearance in 48 hours, not a week. It's more expensive, of course. But we're only looking at P1,000-2,000 depending on your lab fees, versus P500-1,000 BUT WASTING AN ENTIRE WEEK.

My dentist is again rescheduling me next week so hopefully I can finally get my wisdom teeth out. Updating this again. Didn't expect this whole thing will take three blog posts.

AAAND PART 4.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction at PGH Part 2

So my doctor was perhaps exaggerating when he said I'll get my extractions appointment on October. See, my initial checkup was on the 2nd week of August. The following week, my doctor texted me that I could be scheduled for extractions by the 4th week. It's pretty quick, considering it's a public hospital and there are hundreds of patients.

I, unfortunately, missed my August and then, my September appointments. But my super kind (and very gwapo - hi doc!) doctor managed to get me an appointment for October. (God bless your heart, kind sir! lal) I went there yesterday to get clearance from the endocrinologist for my thyroid disorder. Failing to learn my lesson from my previous visit to PGH, I got there by 2 pm, waited for my dentist to finish his operation, and by the time I got the request for an appointment with the endoc, the endoc clinic was already closed. I was also given a list of surgical materials to buy for my extractions next week, but it was already 3:15 by then and the PGH pharmacy was already 15 minutes closed. Tsk tsk. 

Here's the timeline of my all my reschedules. I feel so horrible.

Because the PGH Pharmacy was already closed, I had no choice but to go to Bambang to buy the materials. Some items weren't available so I had to then go to Quiapo. It was raining so it was quite an adventure. Good thing my sister was with me, and she knew where all the cheap places were. 

The numbers by the end of the items are prices written by the Ate at the dental supplies clinic in Bambang.

Since two of my sisters have already had extractions done at PGH, I no longer had to start from scratch looking for dental suppliers. There's a dental supplies store in Bambang where 80% of the items on the list are available. Prices are cheap too, compared to Mercury and dental suppliers in Quiapo. From PGH, just take the LRT to Bambang station. From the station, you can actually see the signage for the Dental Supplies Store, it's right across Mighty Mart (er basta some MiniStop-7/11 store.)

P1,333 for 80% of the items on my list. 

Note that other bloggers who've had their extractions done at PGH spent P4,000 on their surgical materials. Going to Bambang first, and then Quiapo, and then Mercury will save you a lot of money. Should you decide to go straight to Quiapo, you can still get stuff for cheap just look for this store:

Liberty Dental Supply ~ I wish I could give you directions but I do not remember which streets we went to to get there. If you've been to Divisoria, the streets are that confusing. 

Since I still need to get clearance from the endocrinologist, my dentist decided to not give me prescriptions for antibiotics and pain medications. My sister said she spent less than P500 for those, including anesthesia. I also am yet to buy the Orahex Alcohol-free Mouthwash since all the stores we visited (WE VISITED ABOUT 6 IN QUIAPO) didn't have anything alcohol-free. Sister says she bought hers in Mercury so, I'm not panicking yet. 

We had to visit store after store after store in Quiapo to look for the surgical burs. My sister also had a hard time looking for her burs as the sizing and specifications (high speed/low speed) were impossible to find. We both had to settle for larger sized burs - we called our dentists first for approval.

My extractions will be done next week. I'll have the endocrinologist appointment at 7 am first, and then hopefully get cleared, I mean there really shouldn't be any problem. As per my sisters' instructions, I need to buy a one-week supply of survival food: oatmeal, ice cream, soup, and yogurt. I'm excited. You have no idea how horrible the pain had been the past weeks. I felt like my face was being squeezed by invisible giant pliers. There's pressure and popping in my ears. I don't have pus or signs of infection, thank God, so I guess I'm still good.

TOTAL EXPENSES FOR 2ND VISIT:

Bambang - P1,333

Quiapo A - P300

Quiapo B - P180

TOTAL : P1,813

Part 3 is here.

Cheap Wisdom Tooth Extraction at PGH

I've had a long-standing battle with my wisdom teeth. I do not remember when they started erupting (does anyone actually ever??) but for the past decade they have done so much harm to my oral and overall health. They have messed with my bite and alignment and posture and have caused so much significant damage that my face has lost symmetry and the lower half of my face is distorted. I'm still fairly attractive, but the asymmetry bothers me so much.

Also, there's pain. I would sometimes wake up with a throbbing face. It's classic TMJD. It's the main reason I started this blog. Not a lot of people are informed. There are sufferers in the millions who unnecessarily live in pain and ugliness (real talk, life is more beautiful when you're pretty because people treat you better, you have higher chances of getting promoted, you're more trusted, etc which countless of studies have shown.) But again, I was living in pain so I had to do something about my TMJD. Here's a list of symptoms you might wanna check if you also have wisdom tooth issues: 

All interrelated. 

I did my research and learned that wisdom teeth that did not erupt properly often cause TMJD, if not worsen pre-existing Temporomandibular Joint Disorders. 

Even without causing TMJD, impacted wisdom teeth still need to be removed.

I went to see dentists to get price quotes for wisdom tooth extraction and the range was P6,000 to P12,000 PER TOOTH. Out of my four wisdom teeth, only one erupted properly. I didn't even know it was there until yesterday because it has always looked like a normal tooth. But since its partner tooth at the lower jaw will need extraction, even that normal tooth has to be extracted too. So we're looking at P24,000 to P48,000!!! Even if I had that much money to spare, that's still a lot of money that could be spent elsewhere. Yeah I know, health should be top-priority when it comes to spending money, BUT I figured I'd exhaust all resources and look for cheaper options before letting go of that much money. 

Not my x-ray but my wisdom teeth are positioned exactly like these.

I did online research and found out about PGH. My first research was in 2014, I just gave birth and thought of foregoing the operation. Besides, I made the mistake of contacting a certain dentist who lurks at PGH forums and blog posts trying to reel in patients by pretending it's free but then quotes P6,000 per tooth because it will be done in his private clinic. BEWARE!

Last summer, my sister discovered she also had impacted wisdom teeth. So she had hers removed. It took 4 office leaves in a span of a month and a half. First leave was to get assessed (x-rays, cast, taking of patient history), second leave was to get the appointed operation date and the list of materials to buy, third leave was the operation day, and fourth leave was to get sutures removed. 

It's been three months and she's doing okay. She has lost a teeny bit of her jaw width and chin length which we think improved her face. Oh, her dentist lost her cast so she had to go back to PGH to be fitted for a new cast. She also had to take antibiotics for an additional week because she had infections owing to her laziness at brushing her teeth, avoiding certain food, and getting her sutures removed on time. 

Here are the steps we took to get FREE WISDOM TOOTH EXTRACTION AT PGH:

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you're taking the LRT, prepare to do a lot of walking if you choose to get off Pedro Gil station. The OPD is at the far end of the PGH compound. If you're taking a cab, ask to be dropped off at the padre faura gate NOT the main gate. The blue doodles are for Padre Faura street, the green for Pedro Gil station. The big pink X is for the OPD building, the small pink X is for the Padre Faura gate.

STEP 1: GET A BLUE CARD. 

The Blue Card serves as your passport to all PGH services. It's easy to get one. You only have to fall in line BEFORE 6 in the morning outside the gates along with a hundred other patients. That's what my sister did. That's also what other people who blogged about it did.

PGH blue card

That's not what I did though. See, the gates open at 6:30 am and so people have to line up outside to make sure they get slots as PGH departments only accept a certain quota of patients per day. What happens when you get in though is that you fall in line again for 2 more hours to register. So what I did is that I came in at 8 am when I no longer have to fall in line OUTSIDE the gates and outside the building, and the line inside the OPD is already dispersed into different departments (pediatrics, dental, derma, ortho, etc.). When I got in, I didn't have to wait in line. I felt bad that other people had to wake up at 4 am and commute to PGH to fall in line outside only to fall in line again inside, when they could have easily just arrived at 8 am instead when they no longer have to wait with the 92 patients for other departments, because only 8 patients in the hundred are for the dentistry department. Really, just aim to get there by 8 am. No more lines, I promise.

STEP 1.A. FILL OUT THE FORM AT THE TRIAGE SECTION

This is at the reception right in front of the door. You will be guided as you fill it out and will be told to go to the 2nd floor to the Dental Department. You can either wait in line at the elevator, or if you enjoy walking like me, use the ramp. They have a ramp instead of stairs. The Dental Department is at the left wing of the building, beside the Pedia Department. You'll know you're there when the walls are covered with Disney characters and there are children running in every direction.

STEP 1.B. GIVE THE FORM TO THE FRIENDLY PERSON AT THE COMPUTER BY THE DENTISTRY DOOR

She should be given medals I swear. I have not met a single government employee who treats people like humans like she does. She's super nice. I should have gotten her name and written a nice note for her at the comments section. I'll do that when I get back. 

She will check your form, ask you to check if the data on her computer is correct, get your phone number, and then politely tell you to go to KUYA JUN at the PEDIATRIC DEPARTMENT. 

STEP 1.C. GO TO KUYA JUN AT THE PEDIATRICS DEPARTMENT

Following Mickey Mouse will lead you to Kuya Jun. He is also very nice and chatty. The middle aged man with him at the table is also refreshingly nice, joking around and teasing Kuya Jun for asking questions like if I'm really married and where I live. Kuya Jun will check your form and instruct you to go back to the friendly Ate at the Dentistry Department.

STEP 2; WAIT TO BE ASSIGNED TO A DOCTOR

You will either be assigned to a pretty doctor or a handsome doctor. Dentists there are all good-looking, I swear. Or idk I probably just got lucky I chanced upon this batch of beautiful externs. I was assigned to a handsome dude with dreamy eyes and perfect teeth.

I was told to wait for an hour (he was also doing surgery at the time) so I waited outside and sat with the sick children at Pediatrics. It was 9:30 by this time. I was called in by 11 am, He took my history, it was an extensive interview so it took about 30 minutes. He also checked my teeth one by one, which made me die a little because I just ate garlic-flavored Skyflakes. I meant to brush my teeth after but he called me in before I got to. It's fine though, I'm a married woman and the garlic breath should build a high enough wall between patient and doctor. (His eyes are really pretty though. Too bad I'm taken. Heh.) He also made a cast of my teeth. My sister found it painful, but I didn't. 

Dental Cast

STEP 2.B. FOLLOW THE DOCTOR'S INSTRUCTIONS

If you already have x-rays, you'll be told to wait a bit (about 3-5 hours) to get your teeth fitted for a cast, be interviewed for medical dental history, and be assessed. If you are yet to get x-rays, you'll be given instructions to go to Lapid Dental Clinic in Robinson's nearby. The x-ray costs P1,300 but if you bring your Blue Card, you'll be given 50% discount. 

DISCLAIMER: SMILEWARRIOR FROM PINOYEXCHANGE would like to remind everyone that Lapid's is a private clinic and is not obliged to give anyone discounts. If your UP PGH dentist tells you there's an ongoing arrangement of some sort where your PGH blue card entitles you to discounts at Lapid's then go present your blue card and enjoy the discount. If your dentist does not mention any discount, please do not harrass Lapid's personnel. Thank you. Edited: Oct 13

STEP 2.C. GET X-RAYS AT LAPID'S

It was already past 12 nn by this time, so I was told to go have lunch at Robinson's and have my x-ray taken. Lapid personnel are not the friendliest people. I mean, the x-ray tech person, she tries to be friendly even if her Resting Bitch Face gives her character away. But the lady at the reception is all snooty. You'll get the results in 5 minutes so you won't have to bask in their negativity for long.

STEP 2. D. SUBMIT X-RAY TO YOUR PRETTY DOCTOR AND DO ANOTHER ROUND OF WAITING

I waited. And waited. And waited. I was told by my doctor that I'd be called in by the rad-tech person who'll do my individual x-rays per wisdom tooth, but 3 hours later I was still in the waiting area.

STEP 2. E. GET THE GODDAMN X RAYS DONE

So I got there at 8 am. I was done by 5 pm. My sister was done by 2:30. It has nothing to do with her getting there at 6 am. I really just got lucky I was assigned to a doctor who was also doing surgery that day and the rad-tech person was feeling bitchy that day too. Ms. Rad-Tech went home at 4 and so my doctor who was probably too tired by then had to do the x-rays himself. Again, this is not because I got there late. I was late but was Dental Patient #6 - their patient quota is 20 per day. Again, just a case of bad luck.

TOTAL EXPENSES FOR 1ST VISIT:

BLUE CARD: P7.00

X-RAY AT LAPID'S: P650

INDIVIDUAL WISDOM TOOTH X-RAY: P 60/TOOTH

TOTAL: P897

My doctor gave me his number and told me he'll text me further instructions. As per my sister's experience, I will be given a list of operation materials and medicines to buy at least a week before my operation. My doctor said it usually takes forever to get an appointment, so we're looking at some time in October, BUT he said he might be able to put me in a priority list of some sort so that I might get an appointment within August. Updating this soon. 

Part 2 is here.