Whenever we can find a wellness protocol that has stood the test of time, we always pay special attention.
Call us anti-aggressive marketers, skeptical of newfangled stuff, or just old-fashioned—we simply have an affinity toward those tools that humans have been using for many years.
Oil pulling is one of these health-giving traditions.
We were first introduced to oil pulling several years ago as a simple way to create greater oral health and also detoxify the entire body.
Given that so much chronic disease we experience is due to lifestyle choices, oil pulling offers a simple solution to create greater oral health, help restore overall health and wellness, and even help us heal deep health issues like leaky gut.
Here’s everything you need to know to get started using this beneficial holistic practice.
What Is Oil Pulling?
Oil pulling is an ancient cleansing and detoxifying technique from Ayurvedic medicine, the traditional medicine of India. The process is simply to swish (or pull) unrefined oils throughout the mouth for several minutes. Similar to what oil does in a car engine, oil pulling gathers all sorts of debris like bacteria, fungi, and viruses (aka ‘thug bugs’) into the oil to be spit out.
There have been wide-ranging claims for the benefits of oil pulling. However, one can expect to experience:
- Cleaner and fresher breath
- Whiter teeth (without the use of commercial whiteners that can damage teeth!)
- Reduced plaque on the teeth
- Overall increased oral health
But the benefits of oil pulling are not found in the mouth alone!
The mouth is a safe haven for pathogenic microbes to grow their numbers and gain access to the entire body through the bloodstream. That means creating a healthier mouth environment is hugely important to creating greater overall well-being!
Just take in this quote from Burton Goldberg, a respected voice in alternative cancer remedies:
“As much as 50% of the reversal of cancer is in the mouth.”
Additional benefits of oil pulling for overall well-being include:
- A decreased risk of migrains
- Increased energy
- Greater mental awareness
- Decreased joint pain and stiffness
- Less nasal and sinus congestion, and a decreased tendency to snore
All of these system-wide benefits make sense given that oil pulling helps us balance our oral flora, the oral microbiome, which as a result lowers the body burden caused by chronic inflammation.
But What Does Science Say About Oil Pulling?
Let’s highlight the results of three clinical studies that were conducted to test the benefits of oil pulling:
1. One study tested to see if oil pulling lowered gingivitis. The test revealed that oil pulling substantially lowered the bacteria responsible for gingivitis (early gum disease). (1)
2. A second study tested to see if oil pulling actually lowered the amount of strep mutans, the main bacteria that causes tooth decay. The results found that oil pulling did, in fact, demonstrate substantial benefits in lowering the amount of strep mutans in the mouth. This is why oil pulling can help to reduce tooth decay. (2)
However, reducing the population of strep mutans can benefit more than just the mouth. Recent research is showing a profound connection between strep mutans and both cardiovascular and degenerative brain issues.
3. A third study looked to discover the mechanism that made oil pulling so effective. The results pointed to the swishing action of oil pulling over the 10-20 minute period in the mouth. This emulsified the oil in the mouth, which was responsible for making oil pulling an effective antibacterial. (3)
What type of oil to use when oil pulling…
According to Dr Kulreet Chaudhary, world renown integrative neurologist who weaves Ayurvedic medicine into her neurology practice, using different types of oils while oil pulling can impact the body in different ways.
Traditionally, unrefined sesame oil was used for oil pulling. Depending on what particular health imbalances the person has, sometimes it is suggested that the sesame oil be heated first before oil pulling.
As a general go-to, we prefer coconut oil. Not only does coconut oil have numerous health benefits on its own, we also just prefer the taste.
If you’re looking to ‘just’ improve your oral health, coconut oil will work fine. However, if you’re looking to reach deeper into the detoxifying potential of oil pulling, sesame oil will better serve your needs.
Without getting too deep into the details, in Ayurvedic medicine, the most common type of toxin is called ‘ama’. Ama is a toxin that accumulates in the digestive tract and is caused by weak digestion or habitually eating foods that aren’t the best for your system.
The coating of gunk that comes off when you scrape your tongue is a great example of ama. In fact, the healthy habit of tongue cleaning is another wonderful technique from Ayurveda!
You can learn more about how different oils help us achieve different oil pulling results in our free expert interview with Dr Chaudhary here.
Does it even have to be oil?
It depends on what you are looking to achieve. Using oil will help to ‘grab’ toxins just like oil in a car’s engine ‘grabs’ gunk.
However, if you gag at the thought of oil pulling or want to boost your oral health and don’t have oil handy, much of the cleansing benefits of oil pulling can be achieved by vigorously swishing water around the mouth.
And if you really want to take your oral health to the next level, try swishing your saliva!
Several years ago, we coined the term ‘mouth probiotics‘ to describe the ancient technique of swishing saliva around the mouth. Here’s a link to a silly video explaining Mouth Probiotics.
Swishing saliva adds another level of benefit by circulating probiotic oral bacteria around the mouth. This provides tremendous support along the path to optimizing one’s oral health, as we want to propagate the probiotic bacteria in the mouth so they will outnumber the ‘thug bugs’ that are trying to undermine our health.
What time of day is best for oil pulling?
You can oil pull at any time of the day. Traditionally, it is suggested to pull first thing in the morning on an empty stomach to help remove toxins that the body tried to purge overnight. Also, it’s really important to scrape your tongue after oil pulling to help remove the ama from the body.
The Oil Pulling Process:
1. Take roughly one tablespoon of oil in the mouth
2. Swish the oil around the mouth and through the teeth, using all the muscles in the face and throat. This is also a great exercise to maintain a toned face! Be sure to allow for active and more passive times during your practice.
3. Strive to swish for twenty minutes. It may take you a few times to work up to the full twenty minutes.
4. As the oil mixes with saliva, it will become very thin. This is normal and a good sign that you are able to oil pull for a longer period of time.
5. The oil is now full of all sorts of junk you want to get out of your body! Be very mindful not to swallow any of the oil–it takes focus!
6. Spit out the used oil into the trashcan or toilet so that it doesn’t clog up your sinks over time.
7. Immediately swish the mouth with fresh water to remove oil residue. We like to follow with a quick brush and tongue scrape.
You can learn other, finer points of oil pulling in the article, ‘Can oil pulling help heal leaky gut?’.
To Supercharge Your Oil Pulling
If you want to increase the cleansing reach of oil pulling, try adding a few drops of HealThy Mouth Blend into the oil you use for pulling!
Our Experience With Oil Pulling
We use all of the products that we sell here at OraWellness. As such, we have excellent oral health and don’t really need the bacteria-lowering benefit of oil pulling. However, we have noticed a natural whitening of our teeth from our regular oil pulling practice.
If you’d like to take a deeper dive into natural ways to whiten your teeth without compromising your enamel, download our FREE eBook, How to Naturally Whiten Your Teeth (without destroying your enamel).
While we’re here, if you’re good with how white your teeth are but want to learn more on how to remineralize your teeth, feel free to download our FREE eBook, How to Stop Tooth Decay and Remineralize Your Teeth .
If you’re still not sure about what oil pulling can do for your oral health and overall well-being, there are heaps of resources online to help you continue your research. Feel free to start by downloading our FREE Ultimate Oil Pulling Guidebook, which takes a deeper dive into the topic of oil pulling, who should or shouldn’t do it, how to do it properly, and much more!
Do you use oil pulling in your oral hygiene regimen? What benefits have you personally experienced?
As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and stories in the comments section below!
Helpful, Related Resources:
OraWellness Ultimate Oil Pulling Guidebook [free eBook]
How to Balance Your Oral Flora [article]
Can Oil Pulling Help Heal Leaky Gut? [article]
3 Simple Mouth-Based Habits to Help Heal Leaky Gut [article]
4 Reasons Why Flosser Picks Are Not A Healthy Option [article]
3 Easy Ways To Keep Thug Bugs From Growing On Your Toothbrush [article]
How To Create Greater Oral Health For The Whole Family [article]
How To Brush Your Teeth To Reduce Gum Disease [article]
Resources:
1. Indian J Dent Res. 2009 Jan-Mar;20(1):47-51. PMID: 19336860
2. J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent. 2008 Mar;26(1):12-7. PMID: 18408265
3. J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent. 2008 Mar;26(1):12-7. PMID: 18408265
Does anyone use or know anything about castor oil for oil pulling? I have been reading about it and it is suppose to have the same effect as coconut oil. The best part is you only have to do it for one minute! One “expert” did say coconut oil is better because it is an antimicrobial . Thanks!
Aloha Cindy,
Great question!
To be honest, we don’t have any personal experience oil pulling with castor oil.
Traditionally, sesame oil was used for oil pulling. However, coconut and other oils can also be used for oil pulling.
Whichever oil you choose for oil pulling, we suggest making sure that it’s organic, unrefined, and comes in a glass container (fats can leach toxins from plastic, so oils that come in plastic containers might contain some toxins). You should be able to find plenty of options at your local grocery or health food store.
So, if you decide to try oil pulling with castor oil, we recommend finding some castor oil that is organic and food-grade. That way, you can know the oil is safe for use in the mouth.
I hope that helps!
Aloha! 🙂
Does anyone have a brand of unrefined sesame oil they recommend for oil pulling?
After a few times of oil pulling, I came across a recommendation of using wheatgrass powder (1/8 tsb in 1 oz water) for 5 minuets twice a day. Much less unpleasant than oil. Been doing this for a month and feel that my mouth health has greatly improved. No more irritations of gums that I would get occasionally. Would be interested in your comments regarding this.
Regarding the wheatgrass powder…is that 1/8 teaspoon or tablespoon? Thanks.
does raw organic coconut oil work for oil pulling or what brand is ok to use?
Aloha Elysia,
Thanks for stopping by to add to the conversation.
Yes, you can use organic coconut oil for oil pulling. Any brand will work fine.
Regarding folks who got infections in their mouths from coconut oil…I was kind of wondering if the source/quality of the coco oil could have been an issue there? MY question is if there is any information on how effective oil pulling is if you can’t do it daily? If you can only pull it off once a week or so is it even worth doing? Just wondering if anyone had any studies/anecdotal info regarding that. Mahalo
I love oil pulling! I use the traditional cold pressed organic sesame oil and pull while in my morning shower. I had heard recently that the traditional sesame is the way to go as the coconut oil may get your good mouth bacteria pulled too. Not sure if that is true but it would be smart to research if you are concerned with over pulling of your good mouth bacteria. Something to think about for sure. In the beginning I went with what resonated with me and it was the sesame oil that won out. I had tried coconut and olive oil. Happy pulling! You will not regret it.
Aloha Tammy,
Thank you for bringing up this important point. We agree that the different oils can impact the body differently. There are even those who argue that coconut oil shouldn’t be used in oil pulling. While I think there may be merit to this, when I asked Dr Chaudhary about this point, she stated that oil pulling is a healthy habit, so do it. Then, once in practice, if you want to adjust/improve the practice, play around with what types of oils.
Thanks again!
Tammy, could you please give the brand name of the sesame oil you are using?
Thank you.
I am taking iron for anemia does any of your products get rid of staining?
I know this is about oil pulling but I was hoping for an answer.
I like your informative and reasoned article on oil pulling. Unfortunately I have patients who have read more “sensational” articles with far reaching claims. Some with moderate to advanced gum disease (periodontitis) have concluded that oil pulling alone will solve this. It won’t. I don’t want to. Discourage anyone from trying oil pulling, but for patients with periodontal disease I’d rather see them invest five minutes a day with correct WaterPik technique (google: water pick instruction dr. paul rubin) than twenty minutes of oil pulling, though doing both would be fine if time allows.
Paul Rubin
Better yet, use the pocket applicator sold right here on Orowellness. It works!!!
Aloha Dr Paul!
As always, it’s an honor for you to stop by and add your experienced voice to the conversation. We completely agree with you. Oil pulling is a great ‘catch all’ protocol. However, if a person is dealing with advanced gum disease, oil pulling (or any other relatively superficial healing modality) isn’t going to address the root cause. Like we share in our HealThy Mouth System, you must address the infection at the base of the gum pocket or nothing is going to change.
That said, oil pulling is a great general detox practice.
Thanks again for being here!
Thank you, Dr. Paul, so much for your comment! Your video really helped me – I watched it after I saw your comment – thanks for taking the time to post!
Thanks for this informative article! My dental hygeinist told me that you should change the oil in your mouth every 5 minutes when oil pulling, to avoid spreading bacteria from one part of your mouth to another. I don’t like this idea, as using 4 tablespoons of oil for every 20-minute session sounds expensive and also complicates the process. What do you think about this idea?
Aloha Lori,
Thanks for stopping by to add your voice to the discussion here.
I don’t think there’s merit in the idea of changing the oil every 5 minutes. While we agree with the idea to lower the risk of spreading ‘thug bugs’ around the mouth, in this case of oil pulling, it doesn’t seem like a big risk to me. Unlike flossing with a ‘flosser pick’ around multiple teeth (which we think is a very poor idea), oil pulling is gathering up lots of debris and ‘capturing’ it in a way in the oil matrix.
Trust your sense on this one Lori. Your intuition knows best. 🙂
I have been oil pulling here and there for a few years but just recently started really trying to do it once or twice a week.
I do it first thing in the morning as i go abouy my morning routine. Its actually quite simple. I add a drop ot two of a variety of essential oils for taste into a spoon of coconut oil and start showering and getting ready for work. The last 2 dental visits, the dentist actually said i had great gums for my age which is 48. He said, ” whatever you’re doing keep doing” . As a person with lifelong dental issues, that was refreshing. I also use Orawellness products. All around great products that all contribute to the goal of better health.
As far as noticing other health benfits, i do not specifically. All I know is i try and eat well and have added several supplements to my life and have had good success staving off past symptoms of Hashimotos Thyroodotis but it’s been a process of learning and changing. It all helps as a whole.
Like a few others have reported here, after a few weeks of oil pulling, I begin to experience issues …several teeth begin to hurt…feeling as if the gums have receded (based on dental issues experienced years ago) and having sensitivity in multiple teeth because of nerve exposure. I simply discontinued and after a few days the pain disappeared. So do you have any suggestions for a low and slow process that will make it more doable for those of us who seem to have a problem working this into a regular routine?
Thank you both for all that you do!
How often were you pulling?
Oil should never be put down any drains, and that includes the toilet. The oil should be spit out into the garbage can!! All the pipes in your house are connected. In the toilet, it will also eventually clog pipes (if not yours, then the public sewer). Also, you may want to clarify that warm water should be used to rinse the coconut oil out of the mouth, as cold water will harden it.
Aloha AL,
Thank you for adding to the conversation. I think you have solid points here. Rinsing with warm water in general is probably wiser to help remove any oils still in the mouth. And yes, you’re probably right with the trash can idea. We just spit it outside and can get away with that living here in Hawaii. But I think that would be a pretty unappreciated habit living in a city! 🙂
I would like recommendations for oils besides coconut since I have been intolerant to it in the past, I can only have it max once or twice a week.
Hello, i have a small issue with gum disease in which my front teeth will start randomly bleeding throughout the day. I was just wondering how often would i have to do these steps-night or day. And which oil i could use for the best results. Thanks
When you say not to use vegetable oil – does this include Olive Oil?
Does oil pulling can help to remove the pus inside my gum? The pus is not visible, it was only seen on x-ray. I really don’t want to lose my tooth or even undergo root canal treatment.
Aloha Levi,
Thanks for reaching out to us.
While we question whether oil pulling will single-handedly heal this kind of issue, regular oil pulling is a great adjunct therapy to help create greater oral health. Our article “What Causes an Abscessed Tooth and How You Can Avoid Them” explains more on what steps you can try.
Also, in case you’re interested, here’s a link to our article, “Helpful Resources to Find a Qualified Dentist to Assist You“.
We hope this helps!
Thank you and Aloha!
Hi Cindy. I’ve been oil pulling for about 3 years now, while breastfeeding my fourth child, pregnant with my 5th and now while breastfeeding my 5th. I only noticed benefits from oil pulling, and I do have one 15 yr old mercury filling. Hope my experience helps.
Could you please comment on Oil Pulling in pregnancy?
Aloha Jen,
Thanks for stopping by to ask here. I see no reason to avoid oil pulling during pregnancy. Yes, it’s a detox protocol, but a very, very gentle one (unlike many detox programs on the market). Oil pulling is mostly just about gently exercising and circulating our fluids. That said, ask your midwife to get her view on this please.
So if oil pulling brings an infection to the surface, would continuing pull the infection out or would one still need to follow up with the dentist for possible tooth extraction?
Aloha Kate,
Thank you for reaching out to us here. Yes, oil pulling will continue to draw out any infection. That said, infections in the head are nothing to play with, so having a dentist you trust check out the situation is always wise from our perspective.
We hope this helps you navigate your path!
You mentioned that you oil pulled when you had amalgam fillings. Did you have your fillings replaced and if so is there risk with that procedure? If someone has amalgam fillings should they start oil pulling for less time and work up?
Aloha Heather,
Great questions. Thanks for stopping by to ask…
Yes, I had my amalgam fillings replaced and yes, there is definitely a protocol to follow when having them removed. We hope to write more on this subject soon. Stay tuned for that.
Regarding your question about oil pulling and amalgams, there’s no need to work up as you say because of having amalgams. Just do what you can (which probably won’t be 20 min at first because it’s a workout on the face! :)) and work up to 20 minutes. Another way to go about building up your oil pulling muscles is to actively swish for as long as you can, then pause while still holding the oil in your mouth, then go for ‘another set’ until you need to take another break.
I hope that helps!
Hi : )
I was following your protocols faithfully and using coconut oil religiously for 15 to 20 minutes every morning until about 6 months ago. I also take probiotics to assist my gut with getting good flora.
My concern arose from having my mouth be infection free, tartar free (this from a person that has had to have cleanings every 6 weeks in order to keep the plaque down in the past), no cold sores. Everything was wonderful. Then it occurred to me that have a small fortune invested in my mouth in caps and veneers and if pulling could remove the tartar so efficiently what was it doing to the bonding of these caps and veneers. So I stopped pulling because NO ONE wants to run around smiling with little tooth stubs and my smile is very important to me.
The downside of all of this lack of pulling is I now have 3 areas of infection in my mouth and a whole lot of tartar back. (Like I said, I am a member of a family that produces large amounts of tartar)
I made an appointment with the dentist and after ‘signing up’ for his ‘cooperative dental program’ which provides free cleaning, emergency treatment. xrays annually,for $495 each for both myself and my husband we went to get our first ‘free’ cleaning. Well full xrays were taken along with the ‘free 4 bitewing’ xrays and because of our participation in the cooperative, we were only charged an additional $88 each for the 360 degree picture of each of our mouths. However, the dentist’s assistant refused to perform the ‘free’ cleaning for either one of us as we had ‘issues’ with our gum health.
The whole point of participating in the program was to get another jump start of getting our mouths in better shape and do further research on the pulling to find out if my fears were justified. (I specifically asked the dentist and his staff to research the vulnerability of the pulling in connection with the veneers and caps. (This was not done.)
So aside from being upsold on a ‘deep’ cleaning x 4 ($451 at the discounted coop price x 2 x 2 again as they want to do it twice) I feel like an idiot as my teeth still haven’t been cleaned.
So, to make a long story shorter, I would like your insight into my situation and would like specifically to learn if you have learned/ heard anymore about pulling in relationship to veneers and caps.
Thanks for your time.
Sara
Aloha Sara,
Thank you for stopping by to share your story with us.
I think it wise to really dive into this assumption here that oil pulling to going to weaken or otherwise compromise existing fillings (which veneers are one type of) or crowns.
I think it is possible that by oil pulling, a minority of people may find that their fillings weaken. However, not because of the oil pulling. In other words, if oil pulling is going to compromise a filling, then the filling is already compromised and needs to be repaired. Think about it… If swishing oil around your mouth is going to cause a filling to come loose, then that filling is already in trouble and bad bugs can already get under it. This means trouble for sure!
So, I have the tendency to turn this assumption on its head. If oil pulling could compromise veneers, then I want to oil pull regularly because doing so may show me any fillings that weren’t placed and bonded well. And I want to know about that sooner than later in order to proactively address the breakdown of the filling.
Does that make sense?
So, to close, if you find benefit from oil pulling, I see no reason to stop. It’s your call of course. We can’t make any suggestions or otherwise. However, if I were in your shoes and had found such benefit from oil pulling, I’d be re-establishing this regular habit. 🙂
I hope that helps!
What about starting oil pulling while breastfeeding?
Aloha Cindy,
Like anything, listen to your gut (and midwife) regarding what to start while breastfeeding. As oil pulling is a detox protocol, I can see reason to wonder if it would be wise to start when breastfeeding. My sense is oil pulling while breastfeeding would be ok, but again, I would consult someone more knowledgeable regarding this. Perhaps reach out to Katie, the Wellness Mama and ask her? I know she has had several children over the past handful of years and probably has researched this exact subject.
Thank you and Aloha!
HI!
I have been reading through the above comments about pulling with amalgam fillings. I guess my biggest concern is what I have read others across the internet saying about pulling and how it can cause the release of mercury from amalgam fillings and into the blood stream. I have not seen anything to prove this (sources, etc), but I thought I would ask if you had any further insight on this for me. Thank you!
Aloha Mary,
Well, oil pulling may very well draw mercury from an amalgam filling. The truth is mercury off gasses from amalgam fillings 24/7. The amount of mercury vapor that comes off a mercury amalgam filling goes way up when the filling is stimulated via chewing on it, brushing it, picking at it with a metal pick (dental tool). So, although oil pulling may bring some out, it’s coming out anyway. So, in my reality, oil pulling can’t hurt and will help detox junk from the system.
I hope that helps! 🙂
Thank you and Aloha, Will! That was very helpful and makes a lot of sense.
Mary
I was oil pulling with sesame oil for about 6 weeks. I had read to try to switch up after a while to continue positive outcomes. With the sesame oil, my skin was significantly less dry, I slept better, and my joint pain disappeared. I switched to coconut oil and within a week ended up with a raging infection (tooth, mouth, throat) that resulted in a root canal of a tooth with a crown. Even pain killers were not allowing me to sleep for a few nights. I was a mess! I am hesitant to start again, it’s been a week and my joints are beginning to ache again and my sleep is disrupted again. I very frustrated.
I’m sorry to hear about your challenges! I’m very confident that your oil pulling didn’t cause the infection. More likely, the oil pulling drew out infection that hadn’t ‘come to the surface’ yet. While it may be a stretch for you to imagine, it’s a good thing as an infection in the head that doesn’t have a ‘vent’ is very dangerous.
Thank you for sharing your story with us. I encourage you to give oil pulling another chance. 🙂
Aloha!
Do you know anything about oil pulling if you have bridges in your mouth.
Aloha Bonnie,
Thanks for posting here. It makes sense to me to oil pull with a bridge because the oil is going to get under and therefore clean under the bridge well. The only caveat I have to this suggestion is if you question the integrity of the bridge. However, if the bridge is lacking integrity, then it needs care anyway, right? In other words, I believe that oil pulling is safe for anyone to practice and that doing so does not compromise fillings or restorations in the mouth so long as the restoration is sound.
I hope that helps. 🙂
Any concerns regarding oil pulling while breastfeeding ? Should it be avoided due to chance of toxins being reabsorbed? Also is the concern with amalgam fillings moreso about causing some of the mercury to leech out and be absorbed versus loosening of thefilling?
I would love to know the answer to this question too!
Would it be ok for me to melt the coconut oil first? I’ve tried to just chew it till it melts but I can’t help but gag every time.
Sure Nadia.
You can melt it first if you prefer. Whatever works to get you to practice oil pulling. Also, keep in mind that you may experience a bit of a gag feeling for the first few times practicing. So, perhaps stay outside or near somewhere that you can spit the oil out quickly if you need to.
Thank you and Aloha!
Oil pulling is one of he most effective ways to remove harmful bacteria and other organism from our teeth. Studies proved that oil pulling can help people to prevent dental cavities and gingivitis. You have nicely described the several benefits of oil pulling in your post. Thanks for sharing such an interesting post with us.
Thanks for posting! 🙂
I have badly receded gums, several amalgam fillings and several health issues, including heavy metals (currently being detoxed homeopathically). Because of the detox effects, is it unwise for me to do oil pulling right now? Or can I do it starting slow; swish for a shorter time, and only every other day?
Aloha Michele,
Thanks for posting here. I question the benefit of going through a detox program when you still have several amalgams. Regarding your question about oil pulling, I think this would still be fine to do. Oil pulling is a gentle detox. Watch for detox reaction and be willing to throttle back on the frequency if the detox is too strong. Generally, detox is better done slowly over time so we simply aren’t REtoxing the body by liberating toxins but not having our elimination pathways flowing quickly enough so the toxins are reabsorbed. That’s not heading in the right direction in our book. 🙂
Aloha!
Hi Michele, I just wanted to add that I read that swishing for 20 minutes is optimal. The timing is important because this is enough time for the oil to break down the gunk, but before the toxins begin to be reabsorbed into your system. If you want to “start slowly” then yes every other day is probably good, but as for the 20 minutes – that is the optimal amount of time.
Hello,
I am going to get braces soon and I am currently oil pulling. Has anyone had an experience on oil pulling while having braces? I am concern of the safety of it since it can loosen braces,or I can probably intoxicate myself. Any thoughts?
Great question Micaela,
While we don’t have direct experience with braces and oil pulling, it seems like a good idea to us. If oil pulling did loosen braces, then the braces needed to be dealt with anyway. Oil pulling should not in any way negatively impact braces if the braces are well placed.
Aloha!
My son just had braces put on two weeks ago. We use coconut oil and baking soda to brush with. His braces have completely fell off. The dr didn’t seem to think it had anything to so with it, but I do. Coconut oil, I have found, can be a pretty good adhesive solvent. Why else in the world would his braces have fallen off?
Aloha Brandy,
Thanks for sharing your story here. That’s very interesting! I believe your story is similar to others asking if oil pulling would disrupt existing fillings. In my opinion, if oil pulling is going to disrupt a filling (or braces in the case of your son), then the bond is probably questionable. Perhaps the dentist didn’t bond the braces well? 🙂 After all, braces aren’t only bonded on the perimeter of the contact but throughout the contact. So, even if the coconut oil did dissolve the edge of the bond, for the oil to be a solvent for the bond of the entire bonded surface is really questionable. But who knows? Perhaps you are right! 🙂
Thank you and Aloha!
One potential problem with oil pulling while wearing braces could be the whitening effect. Since part of the tooth is covered by braces, only the exposed part of the tooth will be whitened. The part under the braces will most likely look darker than the rest of the tooth when the braces are removed. I remember a girl from school whose teeth stained in the opposite way…teeth were whiter underneath the braces. So it seems like the reverse would also be true. Just a thought….
Aloha Lauren,
Thank you for stopping by to add your thoughts to the discussion!
This makes total sense. I had never considered the implications of gently whitening with braces. As I ponder this further, for me the benefits of oil pulling given all the challenge with good oral hygiene with braces would outweigh the temporary impact of this change. After all, if one were to continue oil pulling after braces were removed, it would ‘balance’ out (I would guess).
Still, really excellent point!! Thanks again!!
I know this is old, but coconut oil did loosen my ceramic brackets as well. More than once.
Then I remembered that I use coconut oil to dissolve old glue on jar labels. Coconut oil is a good solvent. I just stopped. Now that my braces are off, I can start back up.
I did oil pulling once and I know it worked. I know it worked because immediately my face swelled up and I got a horrible infection under one of my teeth that had already had a root canal. I eventually had to go to the emergency room for antibiotics after days of swelling and pain. Once the swelling went down, I did notice how white my teeth were. I want to do it again, but I’m terrified of another “attack.” I think I need to pull the tooth that had a root canal and is still giving me problems before oil pulling again.
If I were to warn anybody about oil pulling, I would say to make sure you have reasonably good oral health before trying it. If you have issues in the mouth, they might become exaggerated after “pulling” the toxins to the surface.
Dana,
I too had a similar issue! The oil pulling whitened my teeth, helped my gums, etc….used it for about 7 days and then, BOOM! Horrible mouth infection, canker sores, and cold sores appeared out of no where. I’d never experienced those things until oil pulling.
I stopped the pulling and attempted to do it again a few months later, thinking perhaps it was not the oil pulling which caused the problems…but unfortunately, the same reaction occured as soon as I tried it again.
I’ve asked a number of natural health practitioners, holistic dentists and others about this, and no one seems to have experienced such a reaction, until I read your post.
I’d be interested to know if you’ve learned anything else…
Thanks!
Great points here. Yeah, it’s the detox reaction, gunk coming out of your system as a result of regular detox via oil pulling.
Thanks for posting! Holler with any other questions!
Aloha
Is oil pulling safe if you have amalgam fillings? I heard that oil pulling can
potentially loosen the amalgams from the teeth.
Great question Kathy! Thanks for asking it!
There is a lot of information flowing through the internet and much of it is awesome. However, some of it arguably is just opinion. I think this issue with oil pulling and amalgam fillings is the latter. Let me explain…
Amalgam fillings by nature are not grabby. In other words, dentists normally don’t bond amalgam to the tooth. They cut the tooth with a drill where the bottom of the filling is wider than the top (think like a triangle with the base wider). This way, the filling will stay in place once packed into the gap.
If oil pulling does indeed loosen an amalgam filling, I would be very thankful because that filling had failed anyway and needs to be removed. In my own experience, I oil pulled many, many times while I still had amalgam fillings with no loosening or damage to the fillings.
I think it’s important to realize that amalgam fillings have a ‘lifespan’ of roughly 10 years. In other words, they don’t last for a person’s lifetime and are not meant to! (I know, almost everyone we share this fact with feels jaded because their dentist didn’t inform them that the amalgam filling would eventually fail.)
So, if you have had your fillings for more than 10 years, there is a very high likelihood that there is decay under the filling and it needs to be addressed anyway.
I share all this with you to help you realize that only good can come from oil pulling. If any fillings do loosen, they need to be changed anyway AND I never experienced any loosening of fillings in the years of oil pulling I did with amalgams.
Thanks for asking!
Does anyone have any experience with oil pulling and risks for cosmetic bonding? Due to an extreme case of dental fluorosis of my enamel, my family invested in having my front teeth bonded (not veneers) in high school, which I regret having done. I’m wondering if oil pulling could loose the bonding, similar to composite fillings or crowns. Any thoughts would help.
Aloha Doug,
Thanks for stopping by to ask your question. In our opinion, if oil pulling were going to compromise a filling or bonded surfaces like yours, then the restoration was already compromised and should be changed out. In other words, I don’t think oil pulling weakens any restoration. And, if it seems that oil pulling does weaken the restoration, it’s most likely that the restoration was already compromised and needs to be changed anyway.
For more info on this any many other helpful subjects, we invite you to sign up to receive our free video tutorial course, the 5 Steps to a Healthy Mouth, where we cover subjects like oil pulling as well as other hygiene protocols, the role of diet, and so much more. Here’s a link to receive the 5 Steps free video series..
Thank you and Aloha!
Hi, thank you for sharing your information. I have a monthful of mercury amalgam fillings. Some say using the juice of Corianda to draw mercury out of the body but only to drink the juice with a straw to avoid the Corianda drawing the mercury out and ending up in the blood stream. My question is whether oil filling be safe to use and will not draw the mercury out from the filing?
Would you email me your reply please?
Many thanks
jon
Aloha Jon,
Thanks for asking and stopping by with your questions!
Coriander, the seed of the plant known as cilantro, is generally recognized as a good herb to help detox heavy metals from the body. The drawback is whether the body will be able to remove the heavy metals once the cilantro has ‘mobilized’ it from wherever it was hanging out in the first place.
Like the late Hal Huggins warned us in an interview we had with him, DEtoxification can become REtoxification if the body isn’t able to remove the heavy metals while they are mobilized. This is a double hit then as some other cell in the body has to deal with mercury whacking it when the mercury is cruising through the body looking for something else to gum up.
So, make sure your detox organs are flowing well. Keep your colon moving, drink plenty of water and support liver function too. These steps will help lower the risk of DEtoxification becoming REtoxification.
I hope that helps!
Chlorella cleans up what cilantro drops. Used this on my mildly autistic son and in two weeks be regained speech.
Ten years? Yikes. My last remaining amalgam is roughly 30 years old. I guess that would explain why I have had intermittent pain in that tooth over the past year or two — interestingly though, the pain goes away and doesn’t return as long as I am oil pulling regularly. I’ve chosen to hold off on removing the filling because I am still trying to detox my body from the mercury that was released when I had may last round of amalgams removed.
Composite filling lasts much shorter than amalgam (in my experience. mine only lasted like 2 – 5 years 🙁
eventually one still needs a root canal or pull the tooth out if one does not to loose it 🙁
Oil pull is no more harmful to amalgam than drinking or eating fat, e.g., salad dressing.
So i believe the benefit of oil pulling still outweighs not doing it.
i have had pretty oral hygiene + i’m not a big sugar junk eater. However, despite my best effort, my gum did not respond; there were few deep pockets (> 4 mm). One dentist even accused me for “not flossing” or “flossing incorrectly” cause i bled all over. (i felt pretty insulted + my gum was sore for a few days so i fired him)
it was not until i started oil pulling that all pockets shrink to 2-4 mm. & my teeth feel very clean.
i use cold-pressed sesame oil since this is traditionally used & my understanding is most studies are done using either sesame or sunflower oil + it’s cheaper.
regards,
Some people can barely brush their teeth for 2 full minutes so if you can oil pull for 20 more power to you!
Agreed!