Randolph's World

People who practice oil pulling absolutely swear by the great benefits oil pulling has done to their oral health, such as brightening their teeth, treating bleeding gums and gingivitis.

And indeed the technique of oil pulling or oil swishing has been with us for a long time and is a traditional folk remedy that was mentioned in Ayurvedic medicine for oral health. There has been a very little clinical research, mostly in India, that have suggested that it may reduce oral plaque, bad breath, and gingivitis. This technique didn’t break into mainstream alternative medicine until a naturopath and nutritionist named Bruce Fife wrote about it in his 2008 book Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing.

This technique involves the use of cold pressed oils to pull harmful bacteria and other organisms out of the mouth, tongue, teeth and gums. Sesame oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil are the most recommended oils. Other oils such as extra virgin olive oil or flaxseed have been used too. In any case, using high quality organic oil into the mouth is critical to the effectiveness of this practice. The role of the oil is to pull out toxins from the saliva and acts like an antiseptic mouth wash.

The practice of oil pulling itself is very simple:

Take about 2 tablespoons of oil when you wake up in the morning and before you eat anything. Swish the oil around your mouth, teeth, gums and tongue for about 15-20 minutes (yes, this is not a mistake – you can do it while you prepare yourself for the morning to come, while in the shower, watch TV, or while doing work around the house to help pass the time). During that time the oil will have changed its color to whiter or yellowish color. Don’t swallow the oil, as the whole aim is to get rid of toxins, so if you swallow any oil, you put the toxins back into your body. After 20 minutes spit all the oil out (it is recommended not to dispose the oil in the sink drain or the toilet, as the oil accumulates and can clog the pipes). After spiting all the oil, rinse your mouth thoroughly with water and brush your teeth as usual and floss. After this is done, you can drink and eat as usual.