8 BENEFITS OF OIL PULLING

Oil pulling is a traditional Ayurvedic practice that has gained popularity among youth nowadays all over the world because of the various benefits of oil pulling.

 Oil pulling is claimed to improve your dental and overall health.

The most trending is using coconut oil for oil pulling.

It is not clear exactly how oil pulling works, it’s claimed that it pulls bacteria from the oral cavity. Some promoters of oil pulling say that it exerts a powerful cleansing and healing effect on the mouth, gums, sinuses, and the rest of the body.

Still, the research is going on, so is it really doing miracles or it’s just another useless trend is a point to explore.

BENEFITS OF OIL PULLING

Coconut oil is a cheap and easily available oil for many people all over the world. There are many defenders for the practice of oil pulling in maintaining good oral health. Let’s explore the effectiveness and the significant benefits of oil pulling.

1. Coconut oil pulling can reduce harmful bacteria in your oral cavity

There are various bacteria in the mouth and among these Streptococcus mutans is the main culprit of dental cavities, bad breath, and plaque accumulation.

Studies show that coconut oil pulling for 10 minutes for two weeks can significantly reduce the number of bacteria in your mouth. Coconut oil has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory actions.

2. Coconut oil pulling can reduce bad breath

Halitosis or bad breath is caused due to poor oral hygiene, dry mouth, or tongue coating which is when bacteria is entrapped on the tongue. Various bacteria present in the mouth produce some chemicals and gases leading to bad breath.

Treatment includes the removal of bacteria either by using a mouthwash or by brushing the teeth.

Oil pulling with coconut or sesame oil reduces the number of bacteria causing bad breath and is considered as effective as chlorhexidine mouthwash.

As oil pulling reduces plaque and gingivitis, the likelihood of bad breath is reduced.

3. Coconut oil pulling can reduce plaque accumulation and gingivitis

Gingivitis is a medical condition in which the gums around the teeth become red, swollen, and bleed easily. It occurs due to the accumulation of plaque on the teeth. Plaque is a thin layer that is created by bacteria on your teeth.

Gingivitis may lead to long-term infection of the bone, gingiva and teeth called periodontitis.

Oil pulling with coconut or sesame oil is very effective in reducing plaque accumulation and bacteria causing gingivitis. It helps in reducing inflammation and bleeding from gums. It reduces the layer of plaque and boosts the health of teeth, tongue, and gums.

4. Coconut oil pulling can help in healing cracked lips

Oil pulling not only helps in moisturizing gums, but it also helps in moisturizing the lips. So it helps in the healing of cracked lips.

5.Coconut oil pulling can strengthen teeth, gums, and jaws

Oil pulling can be considered as an enlargement of standard oral hygiene measures since it has the characteristic of an oil massage that strengthens gums, jaws, and teeth.

It can be used as a preventive effective adjunct in maintaining and improving oral health.

6. Coconut oil pulling can prevent dental decay

Cavities are a common problem that occurs due to poor oral hygiene, eating too much sugar, and accumulation of bacteria in the oral cavity.

Oil pulling is able to reduce the overall microbial overload of the oral cavity, enfolding epithelial cells carrying bacteria in oil vesicles and reaching almost all unique habitats of bacteria in the mouth.

This reduction in bacterial count in saliva and plaque due to oil pulling helps in preventing tooth decay and reduces the risk of dental cavity formation.

7. Coconut oil pulling can prevent dryness of the throat and mouth

Oil pulling may be used as a natural alternative for resolving symptoms of dry mouth/throat and it could be as effective as traditional treatments.  The oil cleans out the mouth while coating and soothing irritated spots. It is a safe and reasonable method.

8. Oil pulling can whiten your teeth

Some people claim that oil pulling can whiten your teeth as it pulls stains from the surface of teeth.

Oil pulling reduces plaque deposition and it could have a whitening effect on teeth as plaque accumulation can cause yellowing of teeth.

Unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence to prove that it whitens your teeth. But it is a safe practice and worth a try.

HOW OIL PULLING IS DONE?

Oil pulling can be done with the help of sesame oil, coconut oil, or sunflower oil.

Extra virgin coconut oil is a preferred choice because of its pleasant taste. It also contains lauric acid which has anti-microbial properties too.

Oil pulling works in a simple way- when you swish the oil around your mouth, the bacteria present in the mouth clear away and dissolve in the oil.

Oil pulling can be done in fabulously simple steps:

1.Take one tablespoon of oil in your mouth.

2. Swish it around all the mouth for 15 to 20 minutes like a mouthwash. The oil is pulled and forced in between all the teeth. The viscous oil will become thinner and milky white at the end of this procedure.

3. Try not to swallow it as the oil contains bacteria and toxins.

4. Spit out the oil into a cup or trash can once you are done and your mouth is thoroughly cleaned with warm water.

5. Don’t spit it in the sink as the oil might otherwise plug your sink over time.

6. Brush your teeth as normal and repeat this 3 to 4 times per week. One can always start with just a few minutes and increase with time.

7. Some people say it’s best to do oil pulling on an empty stomach, but you can do it at your preferred time.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Oil pulling seems to be an excellent supplementary technique that can be added to your daily routine to improve your oral hygiene along with the primary methods of brushing, flossing, and routine cleanings.

It is a simple method that may reduce the risk of cavities and gingivitis.

The biggest advantage of oil pulling is that it is simple to do and it can be easily incorporated into our daily routine. If you want to know about the other natural or herbal products for oral care, read more

Various people claim monumental benefits of oil pulling, still, research is going on, and how much beneficial it is, is still a matter of debate.

Any impact of oil pulling on overall health hasn’t been proved, but it is likely that giving it a try won’t hurt your health either.