If you're a keen oil puller, you may want to carry on pulling after you've had dentures fitted. For example, you may oil pull for general rather than oral health benefits; alternatively, you may want to use oil pulling to maintain the general health of your mouth even though your natural teeth are no longer a factor in it.

While oil pulling retains the same general health benefits as it did before you had your teeth extracted, oil pulling with a set of dentures is a bit of a different process that may take some getting used to.

Don't Oil Pull Too Soon

While you may be keen to oil pull as soon as you've had your teeth extracted, this isn't necessarily a good idea. Oil pulling may help cleanse your mouth and promote healing; however, pulling may also adversely affect your mouth's ability to heal after you've had your teeth removed.

Once your dentist removes your teeth, blood clots form on the extraction sites. These clots basically put a lid on the holes where your teeth once stood, protecting the bones and nerves in the wound sites and helping your gums heal. The suction pressure you put on these areas when you swish oil around your mouth may be enough to pull the blood clots out of place.

If you lose these blood clots too early, your mouth may take longer to heal and, in some cases, you may end up with a painful problem known as a dry socket which will require further dental treatment. To avoid these problems, you should avoid oil pulling immediately after your extractions and follow your dentist's advice on how you can help your wounds heal initially.

For example, you may be told to start using a saltwater mouthwash a day or so after the extractions. Salt water can help cleanse and heal your gums over the key first few days after an extraction and is a viable alternative to oil pulling.

Do Take Your Dentures Out

When you're ready to start oil pulling again, you may wonder whether you should leave your dentures in or take them out. To be honest, there is little point leaving your false teeth in when you oil pull. You can't push and pull the oil through acrylic dentures, and you may find that the actions of pulling simply shifts your dentures uncomfortably out of position.

Plus, your dentures don't really need the health benefits of oil pulling. Pulling may have helped protect your natural teeth against decay; however, it's not likely to do much for false teeth. By taking your teeth out when you oil pull, you also expose all of your gums and soft tissues to the oil – this is where you'll see the best benefits.

For example, oil may help remove bacteria from your gums, tongue and soft oral tissues. This helps keep your mouth in a good condition and may also help freshen up your denture breath. Oil may also have a soothing effect on tender areas or sores where your dentures rub on your gums or mouth or on sores caused by your dentures.

Finally, once you've finished an oil pulling session, it's worth rinsing out your mouth or brushing your gums before you put your false teeth back in. Dentures may slip and slide a little and feel unstable if you put them in your mouth on top of an oily residue.

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