Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic practice of swishing oil in the mouth for 15-20 minutes per day. The oils often used are coconut oil or sesame oil due to their pleasant flavor and antimicrobial properties.
Oil pulling is claimed to completely transform dental and whole body health. There are a plethora of health fads out there, so I wanted to show you the research:
P L A Q U E - According to a triple-blind randomized control trial (AKA a well-done research study), oil pulling for 10-15 minutes per day reduces plaque & plaque-induced gingivitis. The study showed that oil pulling performed better than chlorhexidine mouthwash on the plaque index and gingival index score. Read Study Here
B A C T E R I A - The study also showed that oil pulling helps reduce aerobic microorganisms in the mouth. The microorganisms that were specifically decreased are the ones that cause bad breath. Not only can oil pulling decrease harmful bacteria in the mouth, but it can also decrease bad breath.
There are no clinical trials to suggest that oil pulling can prevent cavities, nor is it a substitute for regular teeth brushing and flossing. There is evidence that oil pulling can also whiten your teeth, but there are no research studies to support that. Additionally, there is no research to show that oil pulling can detoxify the rest of the body.
Overall, the studies are pretty good! You may also notice benefits in your body that haven't been done in a study yet. To oil pull, take 15 minutes, swish coconut or sesame oil in the mouth, spit, and repeat the next day.
The 2 key points with oil pulling are to:
#1: Brush your teeth after you're done swishing the oil. This will help wash away any residual oil and will further decrease the amount of bacteria in the mouth.
#2: Always spit the oil out into a paper towel and throw away or spit directly into a compost pile. Oils, especially coconut oil can clog your drains with prolonged deposits!
Give it a try and see how you like it!