Oil pulling is simple: You place a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil (coconut and sesame oils are also good) on your tongue and swish it around your mouth for at least five minutes, pulling it between the teeth for an in-depth teeth cleaning.
Sesame and coconut oil are the most studied oils used in oil pulling and appear to be the most effective. Both of these oils have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which may help decrease and prevent harmful bacteria overgrowth in your mouth.
They tested coconut oil, a variety of vegetable oil, sesame oil and olive oil. Of the oils that were tested, only coconut oil was found to prevent Streptococcus mutans, which is the scary-sounding name for an acid-producing bacteria that is present in your mouth (yuck!) and is a leading cause of tooth decay.
Oil pulling is both preventative and curative. My experience is with the Kavala Graha method using one to two teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil. Most Americans have tasted olive oil in Italian cooking so it might be easiest for most people.
The harmful bacteria found in plaque lead to gingivitis. Oil pulling can help reduce the growth of those bacteria, which improves your gum health and reduce inflammation. It possibly gives relief from inflammation. Some anecdotal evidence state that it helps in whitening your teeth by pulling stains from its surface.
Ozonated Olive Oil Boosts Oral Health
Research finds it is effective against swollen gums and the bleeding gums. In one clinical trial, patients using ozonated oil healed "significantly" faster than the control group that used normal healing protocols. And take it from one of my clients, ozonated oil works!
Dr. Mark Burhenne, from Ask the Dentist, says, “If you brush after you pull, you'll actually get rid of the good bacteria you just worked to support.”9 With this in mind, brushing then swishing may be best.
Oil pulling is also believed to improve gingival health and bleeding by reducing inflammation, relieving dry mouth, throat, and chapped lips, whitening teeth, reducing bad breath, and improving oral hygiene [2]. Oil pulling is a method of gargling through oil, allowing the oil to shuttle between the teeth [2].
Oil pulling involves swishing a tablespoon of edible oil, most commonly coconut oil, in your mouth before breakfast for five to 10 minutes, or as long as 20. The idea is that you "pull" bacteria out of your mouth, making your teeth whiter while promoting better dental health in general.
It's recommended that you perform oil pulling once per day, every day. Doing this on a regular basis can help prevent oral health problems by removing harmful bacteria from your mouth.
Oil Pulling
What's more, it's an effective natural remedy for receding gums and gingivitis. To practice oil pulling, you'll need sesame oil or high-quality coconut oil. Simply swish a spoonful of oil in your mouth while pulling the oil between your teeth as well. Do this for 20 minutes and spit it out.
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.
Oil pulling is done every morning on an empty stomach. Place a tablespoon of edible oil (typically sesame or coconut) in your mouth and swish it vigorously through your teeth for about 3 to 20 minutes while keeping your mouth closed. After you're done, spit out the oil and rinse your mouth with warm water.
Dentist Concerns About Oil Pulling
Although it isn't particularly harmful, some people may experience some side effects. Also, it should never replace daily brushing, flossing and other dental hygiene habits that are necessary for a healthy mouth.
Increases Blood Flow To Your Face - Oil pulling not only helps the skin from inside but also from outside because it will help in exercising the jaw muscles which in turn will also encourage a good blood circulation, which helps tighten your skin and smoothes out those smile lines and provides you with a youthful look.
Start by oil pulling for 5 minutes, then gradually increase your time as you get used to the feeling. To get the most benefit, make it a goal to swish with the oil for 5 to 20 minutes each day. According to Ayurvedic practices, that gives the oil enough time to draw out toxins and leave your mouth clean.
Though scientific support for olive oil's effectiveness as a tooth-whitening agent remains limited, its proponents remain hopeful it can create brighter smiles by gradually eliminating surface stains while improving oral hygiene.
What are the risks of Oil Pulling? The negative side effects of oil pulling including dry mouth, excessive thirst, muscular stiffness, exhaustion and loss of sensation or taste in the mouth.
Some of the common types of oils used for oil pulling activities are coconut oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, and olive oil.
You can also use olive oil or sesame oil. 2. Swish it in your mouth for about 15-20 minutes. By constantly pushing and pulling the oil through your teeth, you'll get every area where bacteria can hide.
Swallowing the oil after pulling will not cause you to swallow toxins from your bloodstream, but it can upset your stomach. Make sure to spit it out, never swallow. Oil pulling is not a substitute for brushing and flossing your teeth.
To see the benefits of oil pulling, you really have to do this most days of the week for about two weeks, but I will say that my teeth were considerably whiter after only four days and it cured that one hangover.
The best time to scrape your tongue is as part of your morning oral hygiene routine after you have done your oil pulling, which you should do firstly, as soon as you awake.