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Does coconut oil kill bacteria in the mouth?
I am a 32 year old male. I want to know if coconut oil kills bacteria in the mouth?
7 Answers
Short answer - possibly. But to see any potential benefit, you would have to swish it around in your mouth for at least 20 minutes, and the impact would be minimal in regard to the actual amount of bacteria that would be affected. The essential oils in Listerine have more of an antibacterial effect, and you only have to swish it for approximately 60 seconds. Whichever method you choose, the best method of removing the largest amount of bacteria still remains the mechanical removal of plaque and bacteria (i.e. toothbrush, flossing, etc).
No.
No, I don’t think so.
The lauric acid in coconut oil attacks harmful bacteria in the mouth. It is particularly effective at killing and oral bacteria called Streptococcus mutant, which is a leading cause of tooth decay, bad breath and gum disease, thank you.
I have not seen any research to support this, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t. It just means that there is no scientific evidence of it.
No.
Not really.