Those in the know about the astounding health benefits of coconut oil are usually well aware of the major antimicrobial effects this traditional fat has on the skin and also in the gut.Â
It is no wonder that coconut oil is so great to rub into a dandruff plagued scalp as it helps bring the fungus causing this scaly problem under control with no chemical laden shampoos needed.
Coconut oil is also helpful for those with candida overgrowth problems in the gut as it suppresses all manner of gut pathogens.  It is the highly beneficial medium chain saturated fat lauric acid found in coconut oil that is responsible for protection from microbial infections of all kinds when coconut oil is consumed in the diet. Lauric acid is also produced by the human mammary gland and what is credited with protecting breastfed infants from viral, bacterial, or protozoal infections.
Warning: MCT oil has little to none of this most beneficial fat!
It is only recently, however, that the conventional medical community has finally begun to appreciate the powerful antimicrobial effect of coconut oil.
Irish researchers have reported from the Athlone Institute of Technology that coconut oil was the only oil of 3 tested (olive oil and vegetable oil being the other two) that was able to prevent Streptococcus mutans, an acid-producing bacterium that is a common inhabitant of the mouth and a major cause of tooth decay, from binding to and damaging tooth enamel.
This finding lends serious credence to the ancient Ayurvedic practice of oil pulling. It involves swishing the mouth with a tablespoon of oil first thing in the morning. Some people report that they achieve the best results using coconut oil.
The coconut oil used in the study was first treated with enzymes simulating the human digestive process in order to more realistically gauge its impact in the body.
The scientists also reported the coconut oil extremely effective at attacking thrush, a yeast (fungal) infection of the mouth which is not surprising given coconut oil’s helpfulness with other skin issues like dandruff.
Lead researcher Dr. Damien Brady stated that coconut oil could prove to be an attractive alternative to chemicals and meds in maintaining oral health. Â Mouthwashes, toothpastes, and other oral products are loaded with chemical additives that can frequently irritate the sensitive tissues of the mouth.
Dr. Brady noted that not only does coconut oil work at relatively low concentrations, but with the worrisome problem of increasing antibiotic resistance, it is important to consider coconut oil a potentially novel new way to control microbial infections. For example, people often wonder how to get rid of strep throat without the obligatory trip to the doctor’s office. Could coconut oil play a role in resolving this common illness? Can strep go away on its own or with a simple boost from anti-microbial foods like coconut oil?
Dr. Brady and his team now plan to examine how coconut oil and strep bacteria interface at the molecular level to determine if there are any other strains of bacteria that are inhibited in a similar fashion.  They also plan to study antibacterial activity in the gut  presumably using coconut oil and how cells lining the digestive tract can become colonized by pathogens.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Source
Coconut Oil Could Combat Tooth Decay, BBC Health News
More Information on Nutrition and Oral Health
How I Healed My Child’s Cavity
Toddler’s Severe Tooth Decay Halted in 5 Days
Whiten Your Teeth Without Dangerous Chemicals
Resolving Periodontal Problems with Bone Broth
What is the True Cause of Crooked Teeth?
10 Signs Your Dentist is Truly Holistic
Avoiding Root Canals with Diet Alone
Oh, and I make a really great toothpaste: coconut oil, baking soda, Himalayan salt,peppermint and stevia. I am happy to know the coconut is helping my teeth!!! My girls are totally fine with it too!
I love coconut oil and use it for so many things– like toothpaste and moisturizer, and I cook with it too.
I use coconut oil instead of butter anymore on popcorn. Kids love it!
Eat* lol
Even mixing CO in with plain ol’ butter is a good way to use it. If I don’t have any home-rendered lard on hand for popcorn, we use the CO/butter mixture for popping corn.
A great way to get kids to rat it is to mix it with peanut butter and then make a pbj sandwich, when I did that my girls asked why it tasted so good this this time!
Hi Sarah, I appreciate all your blog posts.
I really would like to use more coconut oil in our diet but every time I eat any coconut product I suffer from a headache for a few hours (less with coconut flour and more with coconut oil, milk and other). My father was the same and I wonder if I’m sensitive or if it is something else. I have a friend who told me that it is probably because I have some candida albican that I react that way. Is it a possible explanation? What do you thing? Thanks!
@ Marie: You could very well be having a healing reaction (I think Sarah addressed this somewhere in the comment section already) and it will eventually calm down. Try using less oil to start with (use it internally and externally to know for sure) and build up slowly to a higher amount and see if that makes a difference, that way you’ll know if the CO is what you’re reacting to. I, too, have a friend who was plagued with a headache and a slight skin rash but it only lasted about two weeks and then dissipated, we think, because the yeast/candida was then treated and her body could accept the oil. She used a small amount in her tea and just increased it every other day or so until she was able to see it helping and not causing any more problem. Weird, huh?!
We already use coconut oil a lot, but I was unaware of THIS much benefit. Thanks for once again for enlightening me. Your blog has been so helpful. 🙂
this is awesome thanks!
Katie – check out the above
I’m a new oil puller too… I couldn’t help it after reading Bruce Fife’s book 🙂 Thanks for the info!!!