Oil pulling is an ancient ayurvedic therapy for maintaining oral hygiene.
Oil pulling is observed to bring improvement in oral hygiene when practiced correctly and regularly.
PROCEDURE-
- In oil pulling, a tablespoon full of oil is swished around the mouth in the early morning before breakfast and in empty stomach for about 20 min.
- The oil is ‘pulled’ and forced in between all the teeth by swishing it all around the mouth.
- At the end of this activity if the procedure is done correctly, the viscous oil will become milky white and thinner.
- Then it is spit out and mouth is thoroughly washed with clean warm saline water or tap water and teeth are cleaned with routine tooth brushing.
- If the jaw aches, then the procedure can be done just for 5–10 min.
Oil pulling should be ideally performed daily morning on empty stomach before brushing teeth and care should be taken that oil is not swallowed. Swallowing of oil during oil pulling should be avoided as the oil contains bacteria and toxins.\
Oil pulling is best practiced in sitting position with chin up. It can be practiced thrice daily in empty stomach before meals to fasten the healing effects
The practitioner should take care not to aspirate the oil while performing rigorous oil pulling. In cases of oral ulcers, fever, vomiting tendency, asthma and in conditions where brushing is difficult and sometimes contraindicated, oil pulling can be advantageously used to maintain oral hygiene.
OILS THAT CAN BE USED
Organic oils such as sunflower oil, sesame oil, and coconut oil are of benefit especially if it is cold pressed. Sesame oil and sunflower oil has been found to reduce plaque induced gingivitis.
MECHANISM
During oil pulling, the oil gets emulsified and surface area of the oil gets increased. The process of emulsification of oil begins upon 5 min of oil pulling. This oil will coat the teeth and gingiva and inhibits bacterial co-aggregation and plaque formation. Thus plaque building bacteria responsible for dental caries, gingivitis, periodontitis and bad breath are removed from the oral cavity. Gums become pink, healthier and problem of bleeding gums is solved. Oil pulling is also of help to resolve symptoms of dry mouth/throat and chapped lips.
Oil pulling when practiced regularly is believed to freshen and stimulate the mind and strengthen the senses. However it should be kept in mind that oil pulling does not reverse the existing dental caries and hence regular visits to dentists are still required.
In addition to maintaining oral hygiene it has been claimed to have systemic health benefits and cure systemic diseases. Oil pulling is also supposed to increase the metabolism of the body, heal the cells, tissues and organs of the body and improve longevity in human beings. An improvement in oral hygiene is noticed within two weeks of practicing correct method of oil pulling. People allergic to specific oil should use other types of oil compatible with them. Based on currently available research it can be concluded that oil pulling when performed as recommended, can be safely used as an adjunct to maintain good oral hygiene and health along with the routine tooth brushing and flossing with promising positive results.