Oil Pulling

ByRick Coupland

Every so often I write health articles about lesser known topics. This undoubtedly is one of them. If you’re not familiar with the term “oil pulling”, your first guess might be that it has something to do with the oil rigs. In fact, I’ve just become aware of this subject in the last few months myself.

The practice of oil pulling is not new. It has its origin from ancient Indian medicine. Many people trying it for their first time notice immediate results, and the health benefits from it appear to be endless.

So let’s see what this oil pulling is all about; then you can decide whether you’d like to give it a try.

The practice consists of taking a spoonful of oil and swishing it around in your mouth first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach. That’s it! Organic sesame oil is claimed to be the best oil for this practice, while many prefer to use pure coconut oil because of its taste and many health benefits. You can begin with a teaspoonful, then gradually work your way up to a tablespoonful. Now here’s the catch. To get the maximum results from this treatment, you must keep the oil in your mouth for 20 minutes. This may seem like a very long time, so it’s best that you continue your morning routine while swishing. If your mornings usually begin by waking up in the shower, you may find this is the best place to do it.

You are not to swish hard for the entire period, your jaw would not be able to take it. Just a gentle swish, while periodically forcing the oil through your teeth. Obviously after 20 minutes there will be a buildup of saliva also in your mouth. Try not to swallow. Be sure to spit out the oil in a trash can when done, not the sink or bathtub, as the oil could eventually clog up your bathroom pipes.

How does oil pulling work? The oil removes harmful bacteria and other organisms out of the mouth, teeth, gums and even throat. “Streptococcus mutans” is one of the main bacteria in the mouth and a key contributor to plaque buildup and tooth decay. When you swish the oil around in your mouth, the bacteria dissolves in the liquid oil. You remove a large amount of the bacteria and plaque in your mouth each time you do this.

In a study published in 2008 with 20 adolescent boys, oil pulling (using sesame oil) caused a reduction in the number of streptococcus mutans in the plaque in as little as two weeks. This can lead to some notable improvements to the health of your mouth in a very short period of time. You can expect to have whiter teeth that really do feel clean, along with fresher breath. Problems with bleeding gums, tooth decay and gum disease can be improved or completely healed.

But it doesn’t stop with your mouth. Oil pulling actually detoxifies and cleanses the entire body of toxins, beginning from the very first time you try it. In this way, disease promoting toxins are removed, thus allowing the body to heal itself. As a result, health problems of all types have the ability to improve.

Some of the more common ailments that are said to benefit from this “oil mouthwash” include:

  • sinus congestion
  • Headaches
  • arthritis and joint pain
  • eczema

Here are a few testimonies I found on the Internet singing the praises of this all-natural treatment:

“I had a really bad infection in my mouth, so painful that I could not sleep. After hearing about oil pulling I decided to give it a try. By the very next day the pain was gone! On my last visit to the dentist he was amazed at how much better my teeth and gums looked. He told me to continue to do whatever I was doing.”

“My 9 year old son and I oil pull every day, we started in 2011. I haven’t had to take a single allergy pill and I have severe pollen allergies. I’ve been on allergy meds since I was 7 years old.”

“My husband oil pulls and has great results. He started doing it to help with candida and it has made a big difference with both that and with his osteoarthritis.”

“I oil pull with virgin coconut oil and have noticed a huge improvement in my gums, whiter and smoother teeth, improved sinuses, less congestion in the morning and I notice a pick me up in my energy level on days that I oil pull. I noticed this improvement immediately.”

“I tried oil pulling about 2 months ago, but being a teacher, I found I couldn’t fit it into my hectic morning schedule. I only lasted 3 days, but my teeth really did have a clean feeling to them after each session. When this school year is over, I’m anxious to get back at it, and see if I can’t make it part of my morning routine. Sometimes the simplest procedures produce the greatest results.”

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and I don’t have any medical training. I am just an individual that researches information that other people have studied and proven to be effective, and I just pass that information on to you.