Oil Pulling Benefits

Oil Pulling involves swishing oil around your mouth for an extended period of time (5-20 min) to pull out oil-soluble toxins from the mouth and body.

Oil pulling originated in India 3-5,000 years ago. It’s actually written in an ancient Ayurvedic medicinal text. Ayurveda is an ancient Indian holistic (whole-body) approach to keeping people in optimal health. Ayurvedic practices include diet, herbal remedies, massage, yoga and meditation. Ayurvedic practices are still used today, not only in India but many parts of the western world. The most common of these practices is yoga and meditation, but some of the medicinal practices like oil pulling have become increasingly popular world wide. Historically there are 2 types of oil pulling documented.

1. Kavala Graha - swishing a small amount around for 3 minutes

2. Gandusha - filling the entire month and swish for a longer period of time

Both of these methods were created to address issues like weak or irritated gums, dry throat, bad breath, and most mouth related issues.

The common method is to take 1 tablespoon of organic coconut oil and swish around your mouth for 10-20 minutes. This helps to remove the bacteria in your mouth and teeth. Bacteria creates a biofilm on your teeth (called plaque) which over time builds up. The idea is that doing oil pulling consistently will reduce bacteria and slow down the production of plaque.

I first started trying this around 2015 (not even knowing its unique Ayurvedic background). I found doing this 2-3x/week greatly reduced my foul “morning breath” and was pretty easy to integrate into a habit. I would take a bite of oil before my shower, so by the time I was done and dressed, I’d be finished with my 10-20min time frame and wasn’t constantly watching the clock. I find multitasking makes habit forming easier for me. At first, doing the swishing for that long of a time was difficult. But the more you do it, the easier it becomes. I still prefer this method over store bought mouthwash.

Is there Science proving oil pulling actually works?

Yes, there’s been a number of clinical trials showing its effectiveness. Below are few...

• A 2014 Study by the Journal of Clinical and Dental Research found that oil pulling with Seasame oil reduced bad breath by eliminating microbes with equal results to Chlorhexidine treatment (prescription mouthwash)! Impressive! - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25584309/
  

• A 2015 Study by the International Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry found that oil pulling was as effective in removing Streptococcus mutant as Fluoride Mouth rinse. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26379378/
  

• A 2016 Study by the Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice found that oil pulling with coconut oil was as effective in removing Streptococcus mutant in saliva as Chlorhexidine mouthwash in a triple blind study - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27084861/
  

Adding a simple oil pulling routine, with an ingredient you may already have in your cabinet, could really help improve your oral health in a natural way. Happy oil pulling!