Oil pulling is an ancient practice that involves swishing oil in your mouth for a period of time before spitting it out. Common oils used include coconut, sunflower, and sesame oil. This oral hygiene technique typically lasts between 5 to 20 minutes, allowing the oil to be worked around the teeth and gums.
The Origins of Oil Pulling: An Ayurvedic Tradition
Oil pulling is not a new fad; it’s a traditional remedy rooted in Ayurvedic medicine from India. Its recent surge in popularity is largely due to online promotion highlighting its purported health advantages. Proponents suggest that oil pulling helps to eliminate toxins, known as ‘ama’ in Ayurvedic medicine, from the body through the mouth.
Reported Advantages of Oil Pulling
Numerous websites and wellness communities advocate oil pulling, particularly with coconut oil, as a natural method to achieve whiter teeth and reduce oral bacteria. Online advocates claim even broader benefits, suggesting oil pulling can combat tooth decay, eliminate bad breath, alleviate bleeding gums, prevent cavities, and even protect against heart disease. A book titled Oil Pulling Therapy by Bruce Fife promotes the practice, asserting its powerful cleansing and healing effects extend beyond the mouth and sinuses to the entire body.
Does Science Support Oil Pulling for Dental Hygiene?
While online testimonials abound from individuals praising oil pulling, robust scientific backing remains limited. One systematic review of randomized clinical trials indicated that oil pulling might be comparably effective to chlorhexidine mouthwash in reducing plaque. However, Oghenekome Gbinigie, the lead author of the study from the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford, cautions, “At present there isn’t enough information about the benefits and potential harms of oil pulling to help us decide whether or not we should take on daily oil pulling, in addition to tooth brushing.”
Another review examining the existing literature on oil pulling identified 21 studies. However, it concluded that only a small fraction, six studies, had sound methodological designs. The reviewer pointed out that the findings from many studies are questionable due to design flaws and small sample sizes, emphasizing the necessity for larger, longer-term, and higher-quality research.
Potential Downsides of Oil Pulling
Although oil pulling is generally considered safe, some minor side effects have been reported. There are isolated case reports linking oil pulling to lipoid pneumonia, particularly associated with mineral oil aspiration. Upset stomach has also been occasionally reported. Comprehensive research is still needed to fully understand the potential side effects.
Oil Pulling vs. Traditional Dental Hygiene
Despite claims from some advocates that oil pulling can replace tooth brushing, the prevailing view is that it should complement, not substitute, conventional dental hygiene practices. There is no scientific evidence supporting oil pulling as a replacement for brushing your teeth. The American Dental Association emphasizes that current research is insufficient to endorse oil pulling as an effective dental practice.
Is Oil Pulling Pseudoscience?
Bruce Fife, author of Oil Pulling Therapy, suggests oil pulling can alleviate a wide array of conditions, including allergies, asthma, chronic fatigue, diabetes, and migraines. Other proponents online extend these claims to improving acne, strengthening gums and jaws, and resolving bleeding gums. The sheer breadth of these claims raises skepticism.
Many of these purported benefits smack of pseudoscience and quackery, promising extraordinary health improvements without credible scientific validation.
Despite online assertions, there’s no evidence that oil pulling can prevent cavities, detoxify the body, fortify teeth, treat cancer, or alleviate headaches. The expansive and unsubstantiated nature of these purported benefits aligns with characteristics of pseudoscience.
While oil pulling might offer some benefits to dental hygiene, its effectiveness remains uncertain. Recent reviews suggest potential advantages but underscore the need for more rigorous and well-documented clinical trials to definitively ascertain its role in oral health.
References
- Fife B N D . Oil pulling therapy: detoxifying and healing the body through oral cleansing. US: Piccadilly Books, 2008.
- Gbinigie O, Onakpoya I, Spencer E, McCall MacBain M, Heneghan C . Effect of oil pulling in promoting oro dental hygiene: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials. Complement Ther Med 2016; 26: 47–54.
- Mythri H . Oil pulling: A traditional method on the edge of evidence. Dent Hypotheses 2017; 8: 57–60.
- Dr. Axe Food is Medicine. Coconut Oil Pulling Benefits & How-to Guide. Available at: https://draxe.com/oil-pulling-coconut-oil/ (accessed March 2018).
