What Is Oil Pulling Therapy?

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Oil Pulling: An ancient Ayurveda lifestyle habit with great benefits

Perhaps you have heard of it: the Ayurvedic technique of swishing oil in your mouth for 10-20 minutes daily that claims to deliver a litany of health benefits.

The world wide web has many articles where you can read about this oil pulling technique. The claims show unbelievable results. From healing joints to immune health and help with grinding your teeth. Oil pulling is not the only daily healthcare habit found in Ayurveda; scraping the tongue would also be done daily upon rising. (I’ll focus on this in a future article)

What is Oil Pulling?

The practice of oil pulling is typically done by using sesame or coconut oil as a mouth wash or gargle. Sesame is the normal type of oil used (NOT toasted Sesame oil). Coconut oil is better if you tend to get acne or rashes on the skin of your face or throat. One tablespoon of this oil is swished in the mouth and sucked or pulled through the teeth for 10-20 minutes. Oil tends to have an effect that will draw toxic substances to the oil so when you spit it out the toxins go with the oil. Keep in mind that this is oil and you should spit it into the garbage or toilet so your drains do not get clogged.

An International Buzz

In 1996, an Indian newspaper called Andhra Jyoti conducted a survey to find out user experiences regarding the effectiveness of oil pulling. Out of a total of 1041 respondents, 927 (89%) reported amazing health benefits. Only 114 (11%) reported no benefit.

The survey included the following:

Pains in the body – 758 cases
Respiratory system – 191 cases
Skin – 171 cases
Digestive system – 155 cases
Elimination – 137 cases
Joints – 91 cases
Heart and Circulation – 74 cases
Blood Sugar – 56 cases
Hormones – 21 cases
Miscellaneous – 72 cases

Since the newspaper buzz in 1996, oil pulling has been gaining more and more attention. The claims of health benefits linked to this very simple therapy have been extraordinary. However, many such claims are just anecdotal, without any research to substantiate them. Unfortunately, this newspaper survey, while it might have spawned international interest, carries no real proof for these claims.

But before you throw your “swishing oil” in the trash, there are real benefits to be had. Let’s take a look at the facts.

Ancient Science

Oil pulling is clearly mentioned in the classic and most esteemed textbook of Ayurveda, the Caraka Samhita. Caraka says this about oil pulling:

Keeping of oil gargle provides strength in jaws and voice, development of the face, maximum taste and relish of food. One does not suffer from dryness of throat or lip cracking and teeth become firmly rooted. The teeth do not ache or become sensitive and can chew the hardest food items.

A few modern research projects have found that oil pulling showed support for a healthy immune response against foreign microbes and encouraged healthy gums and plaque levels in both groups of a double blind study.

In another study, the swishing of the oil in the mouth and pulling the oil between the teeth were shown to have a saponification (detergent or cleansing) effect on the oral mucosa.

Gum health has been linked to heart health in many studies over the years which is why dentists take such care to support healthy gums. Poor gum health may allow foreign microbes to infiltrate the blood stream and irritate the arterial walls. Interestingly the same bacteria, Streptococcus mutans which surges in the mouth after a high sugar diet, has also been found in unhealthy levels inside the arterial walls of heart patients.

But can the benefits of oil pulling go beyond the mouth?

This is how oil pulling works!

Sesame oil, coconut oil and turmeric all have benefits. Sesame and coconut oils herbalized with turmeric are used in Ayurveda regularly to detoxify or “pull” toxins from the skin that they are applied to. The theory is that the oils are lipophilic, meaning they attract other oils. The fatty layers in our skin are well-known dumping grounds for fat-soluble toxins.

Some of the fat-soluble toxins that we are regularly exposed to are:

o heavy metals
o parasites
o pesticides
o preservatives
o additives
o hormones
o environmental toxins

When applied to the skin, these oils may attract toxic fat molecules to the surface, cleansing them through the body’s largest detox organ: the skin.

Give oil pulling a try!

While more studies need to be done on the oil pulling technique, it is clear that the mechanism of oil acting as a pulling agent for toxins is known. As a result, it is very plausible that exposing the skin – and particularly the oral mucosa – to oils and herbs like sesame, coconut and turmeric may have a beneficial and detoxifying pulling effect. I have begun to oil pull myself and my teeth feel cleaner.

Make sure you use organic sesame oil, so not to add toxins we are trying to remove. As with what we put IN or ON our bodies the more organic and natural the substance used the less toxins will be left there. We cannot escape the toxins and pollution completely but living in the U.P. gives us an advantage. Think about what you put in your mouth and on your body.