Oil Pulling – Huh?

When I first heard about this, I had to look into it because it sounded so weird. And I’m all about weird stuff.

What is Oil Pulling?

Oil pulling is a traditional Indian folk remedy that involves swishing oil in the mouth. To be more specific, you take approximately one tablespoon of oil (coconut, sesame and sunflower oils are the most recommended) and put it in your mouth, swish it around back and forth through your teeth for 15–20 minutes on an empty stomach (before eating/drinking), and then spit it out. NEVER swallow the oil, since it supposedly pulls the toxins and bacteria from your mouth – yuck. Follow by rinsing your mouth with warm water, and brushing if you choose. It can be done up to three times a day, but it is typically done first thing in the morning, before eating.

So what does it do? Well some sites claim it does everything from whitening your teeth to healing eczema. Oilpulling.com suggests it cures the following:

•Acne
•Allergies
•Arthritis
•Asthma
•Back and Neck Pain
•Bad Breath
•Bronchitis
•Chronic Fatigue
•Colitis
•Crohn’s Disease
•Constipation
•Dental Cavities
•Dermatitis
•Diabetes
•Eczema
•Hemorrhoids
•Hypertension
•Insomnia
•Migraine Headaches
•Mucous Congestion
•Peptic Ulcers
•PMS
•Periodontal Disease
•Bleeding Gums
•Sinusitis
•Tooth Abscess

Several scientific studies have verified that oil pulling is helpful for oral health. I think other claims would be very hard to measure.

Okay, I thought I’d give it a whirl. I chose extra virgin coconut oil because I use it for everything else and thought I could tolerate the taste. I read comments from others who have tried oil pulling who couldn’t make it through the first few minutes without gagging. Great, I already have a weak stomach. I figured I’d stay in the bathroom the first time I tried it, just in case. So I scooped some coconut oil into my mouth (no, I didn’t measure) and allowed it to melt under my tongue. I think that’s the most difficult part. I might try melting it first from now on. Anyway, once it melted, I started swishing. After about two minutes my cheeks got tired and I had to take a break. Then back to swishing. I had no idea how I would last 20 minutes since I have the patience of a gnat, so I started getting ready for work. I took a shower, started putting on my make-up, all while still swishing. Finally at 20 minutes I spat out the oil into the toilet (I didn’t want the coconut oil clogging up the plumbing in my sink). Then I rinsed with warm water several times and brushed my teeth. They felt clean. But not much more than that. Of course I shouldn’t expect much after only one try. So I’ll keep doing it for a week or so and see if my teeth get any whiter. Others claim they’ve seen results after only a week. We shall see.