"Healthy Living Tips and Tricks" are not intended to be considered medical advice. Rather, Traditional techniques and observed practices with beneficial effects. Please consult a Licensed physician before making significant changes to your current health regimen if you are unsure of the risks involved.
Oil pulling, or using sesame oil, coconut oil, or other therapeutic oils as a mouth rinse, to clean and whiten teeth, reduce halitosis (bad breath), and improve gum health. Oil pulling is mentioned in the ayurvedic text Charak Samhita and Sushruta Samhita as ‘Kavala Graha’ or ‘Kavala Gandoosha.’ Some studies suggest that oil pulling may decrease harmful bacteria in your mouth, prevent plaque formation, and improve gum health and oral hygiene.
Oil pulling is an easy, cheap tool with little chance of adverse effects unless you swallow the oil or clog your drain. I found a study in the national library of medicine that was very informative. Here’s a link https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5198813/ .
A couple of excerpts of this study affirm the traditional beliefs: Anand et al in their study observed 20% reduction in bacterial count upon 40 days of oil pulling using sesame oil. Also, they observed reductions in the severity of dental caries. Sesame oil was observed to possess moderate antimicrobial activity against S. mutans and L. acidophilus. They mentioned that toxins and bacteria from the body may be removed through the tongue and get trapped in oil and thrown out from the body.10
Four researchers in their study involving 60 adolescents of age 16–18 years with plaque induced gingivitis, observed statistically significant reduction of plaque and gingival indices upon oil pulling using coconut oil. Subjects performed oil pulling in early morning at empty stomach in addition to their routine oral hygiene measures such as brushing and flossing. They were assessed after 4 h after performing oil pulling. Modified Gingival Index and plaque index by Sillness and Loe were measured at baseline and on days 1, 7, 15 and 30. Steady decline in indices was found from day seven. Plaque and gingival indices significantly decreased after 30 days of oil pulling. The study observed 50% decreases in gingival and plaque indices after four weeks which is comparatively similar to results produced by chlorhexidine. They concluded that oil pulling with coconut oil is helpful in decreasing plaque formation and plaque induced gingivitis.4
Here’s how to do it:
Best to practice first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
Put a tablespoon of Sesame oil, coconut oil, or other suitable oil in your mouth.
Swish the oil for 15–20 minutes, pushing and pulling it between teeth.
Spit out the oil (into the trash since it can clog sink pipes).
Brush your teeth.
Here’s a twist that I have found to be even better. Add a drop of concentrated nano CBD emulsion such as “Nc200” to the rinse and increase the benefit!
Happy pulling!