As a Dental hygienist one of the most common things I keep hearing my patients state they are doing is oil pulling.
Now you may ask what the heck is Oil pulling and will it help me out too?
Let’s go over a few things together.
What is Oil Pulling?
To break it down, oil pulling is a therapy where a food grade oil such as coconut oil or sesame oil is placed into the mouth and swished for a number of minutes and then spat back out, similar to a mouthrinse.
What are the benefits of Oil Pulling?
According to the National Library of Medicine, “Scientific evidence suggests that oil pulling therapy may reduce the total oral bacterial count and reduce plaque and gingival scores. Furthermore, it has also shown to diminish the susceptibility to dental caries from marked to slight or moderate level.”
Is it approved by the ADA - American Dental Association?
As stated on their website, “Currently, there are no reliable scientific studies to show that oil pulling reduces cavities, whitens teeth or improves oral health and well-being. Based on the lack of scientific evidence, the American Dental Association does not recommend oil pulling as a dental hygiene practice.”
Is oil pulling safe?
If using food grade oil such as coconut oil, there is no reason to believe oil pulling is harmful in any way.
Will Oil Pulling whiten my teeth?
Though many have said they have noticed whiter smiles after regular use of oil pulling, there is no scientific research to prove that it in fact, whitens teeth.
In summary, oil pulling is a natural therapy that does not have any cons. While the results being aimed for may be misleading, oil pulling ultimately serves a purpose of removing plaque & bacteria.
To oil pull, or not to oil pull - the choice is up to you!
My Dental Hygiene Public License Number
CA RDH #31423
Citations
Oil Pulling. (n.d.). MouthHealthy | MouthHealthy - Oral Health Information from the ADA. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/oil-pulling#:~:text=Currently,%20there%20are%20no%20reliable,as%20a%20dental%20hygiene%20practice.
Naseem, M. et al. (2017) Oil pulling and importance of traditional medicine in oral health maintenance, International journal of health sciences. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5654187/#:~:text=Scientific%20evidence%20suggests%20that%20oil,to%20slight%20or%20moderate%20level. (Accessed: 16 April 2024).
NaeNae Dental Clinic. https://naenaedentalclinic.co.nz/blog/oil-pulling-what-is-it-and-does-it-work/. 2019, Dec 13.
Comments