The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Paige (New York, United States) on 12/25/2009
★★★★★
I was using organic toasted sesame oil unrefined and I've stopped having lower back pain, I was suffering from a chronic muscle spasm that has stopped and I dont recall ever having headaches since I started oil pulling or having trouble with my vision, when I would read I see the words do this weird thing, I dont know how to explain but when I concentrate the words seem to do this 3d'ish thing its weird its like the words pop out of the background and it would happen more when im tired out but no more.
Thank You So Much For Your Time. Paige
Broad Benefits
Posted by Jagadeesh (Bangalore, India, Karnataka, India) on 12/23/2009
★★★★★
I have been doing oil pulling for 3 days now and I feel freshness. It seems to be helping in my general conditions too.
Smoking Cough
Posted by Stephen (London, UK) on 11/16/2009
Oil Pulling Causing Side Effects After 5 Months
I am really confused, i have been oil pulling for almost 10 months now, once a day i morning mostly sunflower and recently a few with olive oil. About 5 months ago every time i spat out, i did one big cough and bought up phlegm, directly after spitting one big cough. Then about two months ago the cough developed to an hour, once after spittiong out, then later in the day for an hour. That has since got more regular, not worst, but just coughing a lot up.
Also shortly since starting op, i've got some swellings on neck under jaw, no pain just slight swelling.
I am a smoker (been smoking packet a day for 30 yrs), but i'd never been a cougher till recently. i went to the dr. with my 2 months coughing, quick chest examination they said probably a virus. Seemed nothing wrong with lungs. I think it is the op'ing bringing up and clearing my mucus. is that possible.?
I also daily have a salad dressing which has ACV and Turmeric and Cayenne.
Side Effects
Posted by Charles (Jacksonville, Fl) on 10/25/2009
I got the same symptoms from an inner ear infection, called otitus media. I laid on my back and hung my head over the side of the bed, and filled up my sinuses with 50% H2O2 and Distilled Water. When sinuses are filled the rest will go to the inner ear. was cured in two days...
Side Effects
Posted by Ted (Bangkok, Thailand) on 11/01/2009 392 posts
Side effects of oil pulling... I don't believe in regular oil pulling. I believe in a balance between oil pulling and pulling oil. The pulling oil is the taking of granulated lecithin to reduce excessive oil buildup in the body. The other thing is some people with hypothyroid may have low iodine levels, in which case 1-2 drops of lugols solution and 1-2 drops of SSKI (potassium iodide), in a cup of warm water or even a liter of water should resolve some hypothyroid in about month. It helps to take 1000 mg of vitamin C for the body to better utilize the iodine, and vice versa.
Sinus Infections
Posted by Monij (St. Louis, Mo) on 10/23/2009
★★★★★
I was miserable last night with an obvious sinus infection and I decided to google natural cures for it and found this wonderful website. I tried the oil pulling technique with extra virgin olive oil and about 35-45 minutes later, the mucous began breaking up and I was able to cough it up and blow my nose! I've been telling everyone about it. Thanks so much!
Lung Debris Expulsion
Posted by Lisa (Layton, Ut, USA) on 09/21/2009
★★★★★BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
Healing Crisis with OP w/Virgin Coconut Oil My daughter and I just heard about and started oil pulling with VCO (done mornings, probably not a full tablespoon each time), while reading ______'s book and incorporating VCO into our lives. She almost immediately started coughing up (sometimes violently) all kinds of phlegm from her lungs and this has continued for about a week now (no signs of sickness such as fever, but she does have a sore throat from coughing it all up). Inbetween coughing, she does note that she seems to have more lung capacity than she's had since a bout with shingles about 6 years ago (when she was 20) that left her with a more severe asthmatic condition than she had when she was a kid.
We recognize this as a "healing crisis" and she'll continue OP. We'd just like to know if anyone else has been through this and how long to anticipate that it may last, especially since it's interfering with her whole family's sleep. She doesn't want to take cough medicine to suppress the cough because "better out than in" but wonders how long this might go. It's not constant but quite violent when it hits.
Also, she's still breastfeeding a toddler (only twice a day at this age), and wonders if there is any danger to him other than being disturbed by her coughing. Can a healing crisis like this affect breastfeeding or the breastfed child?
Thank you.
Lung Debris Expulsion
Posted by Marah (Edmonton, Alberta) on 11/05/2009
Just wanted to mention apple cider vinegar to you regarding the phlegm problem. I have been slowly coming down with a cold and my chest has felt congested for a few weeks now. Last night I took 2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar mixed with 2 tablespoons of non pasteurized honey. I drank it slowly, taking a sip at a time since I found it to strong to drink in one go. The results were amazing! By the time I was about half way through I felt the phlegm loosen in my chest and was able to cough most of it up. I thought this might help with the violent coughing because it really seems to help loosen the phlegm up.
Best Wishes!
Chronic Sinusitis
Posted by Cecelia (Kingston, Jamaica, W.I.) on 09/16/2009
★★★★★
I was introduced to oil pulling by a friend who had tried it. I have been doing OP with CO for approximately 4 weeks now. I use 1 tbsp first thing in the mornings only for 15 mins, sometimes 30 mins and gently swish it around. When I spit it out it appears almost greeseless and like mother's milk. The first thing I noticed that I had gum bleeding which lasted for roughly one week and I always want to spit out a thick phlegm which would continue for about half an hr. On only a few occasions, I vomited phlegm after swishing a small amount mucus also drained from my nose. I can now feel air passing through my nasal passage which I cannot remember when I used to experience that and my sense of smell which was hardly functional is extremely alert. I have been diagnosed with sinusitis for some 30 years. I sleep much more easily and my energy level has also increased moderatly.
Cece
Migraines
Posted by Jesse (Richmond Hill, On, Canada) on 12/06/2009
Lily, it sounds that you have the same symptom of headache as I had two years ago. My life was so blighted by this problem then. And it took me almost 10 years to find out that the real culprit of my headaches was chronic sinusitis. And I believe many people who were suffering from unknown headaches are caused by the the same problem. My solution is to take probiotics. Try it and see how it goes. It is possible that oil pulling could be used as a long term therapy in treating the chronic sinusitis problem, however, there is no convincing evidence found on this site and that is what I am trying to find out.
Ear Infection
Posted by Rnh (Mississauga, Ontario Canada) on 08/10/2009
★★★★★
I have a very bad outer ear infection for about two years now very sore and tender. I tried OP for the first time using cold pressed Sesame oil. In about 3 pulls my ear infection cleared up the next morning AMAZING getting bumps on my arms guess it is the toxins being flushed out. thanks for a wonderful site.
Keratosis Pilaris
Posted by Carlsbad (San Diego, Ca) on 08/09/2009
★★★★★
Hi. This is my third week of oil pulling, and the oddest thing has happened. I've had ingrown hairs for years. Suddenly when I woke up this morning, those ingrown hairs were no longer hidden beneath my skin. I pulled them with no problem. What in the world does oil pulling have to do with ingrown hairs?
By the way, other results so fair: the whites of my eyes are particularly white. They're usually off-white, even yellow; mucous drains at the back of my throat when I pull (this just began happening a few days ago); my skin is suddenly baby-soft; and facial pockmarks are lightening up.
Oil pulling has become a very peaceful exercise for me. Love it! Thankfuk for the knowledge!
Torn Ligaments on Feet
Posted by Gayle (Houston, TX) on 07/04/2009
★★★★★
My situation is I have multiple sclerosis and have been disabled since 1995. Have been trying to exercise for 5 years first on treadmills, eliptical, etc. to keep my muscles healthy. Developed torn ligaments on both feet which looks like a red bump on the middle of both feet which hurts alot. The podiatrist said surgery or cortisone shots. I didn't like either of those choices. At the gym a reflexologist told me about oil pulling with sesame oil, 1Tbls for 20 minutes. Then following with 32 oz. of water with 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar. The red bumps are going away after just 2 weeks of op and water with acv and no pain. He said a side benefit is whiter teeth and yes that is happening too. What a wonderful, easy way to care for myself. I hope it regenerates and heals brains too.
Triggered Black Spots on Tongue
Posted by Hannah (New Orleans, LA) on 04/30/2024
3 days in and I woke up with a black tongue for the first time in my life! I scrubbed it, rinsed, repeated, until it wasn't black anymore. It was freaky though. Ghost
Side Effects
Posted by Emma (Budapest, Hungary) on 06/21/2009
BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
I've been oil pulling every morning for a couple of weeks and my sinus problems have totally cleared up. However, for the past 4 days, I've had a bloated, painful abdomen. I've eaten nothing out of the ordinary. Could this be an effect of the oil pulling? I swallow a couple of times while I'm doing the pulling, but only from the back of the throat.
Broad Benefits
Posted by ECM (Concord, NH, USA) on 05/07/2009
★★★★★
Oil Pulling (w/ coconut oil)
Honest to God, this stuff would be considered a miracle cure if I believed in miracles!
I started taking a TBSP of this about 10 days ago just to experiment with it because I'd read so many good things about it. At first, the only thing I noticed was that, after each 20 minute pulling session, I'd be coughing up stunning amounts of phlegm (mainly coming from the back of my throat where the nasal cavity empties into your throat. I also noticed, immediately, that I was having an easier time breathing all day long.
Anyway, that was a nice benefit: clearing out the pipes and easier to breathe, can't complain but hardly shocking stuff.
Then, about 5 days ago, I was checking out my teeth after brushing one morning. (During the last few years I've had some trouble with gum recession and nothing really seemed to work and I had resigned myself to, at some point, having some serious dental work done.) However, looking at the upper right side of my mouth I noticed something shocking: a gap between two teeth that had widened substantially for the past several years was CLOSING. In fact, I started probing the gap with my tongue and was shocked to discover I couldn't get my tongue very far up into the gap where, not too long ago, I could pretty much touch the gum tissue between the teeth. At first I didn't believe it: I mean, I'd only been doing this for five days and I started to question whether I was remembering correctly, so I just sort of made a note of it and then went about my day.
Now, over the last five days, the gap has grown so small that the two teeth in question are virtually touching one another again--I can't get my tongue into the gap at all anymore and, at this rate, it'll be gone by tomorrow morning! In all seriousness, each subsequent day it has improved, almost in real-time! I am now dying to go to my next dental appointment and see what the good dentist has to say about the state of my teeth now!
I also want to note again that I went into this not expecting some of the amazing things I've read on here and on the internet but, really, this stuff is the real deal and I can only imagine if it's having this much of an effect on my gums (and this quickly!) what it's doing internally. Talk about a 'miracle'!
Insights and Theories
Posted by Actua (Nowhere, Al) on 08/18/2013
Canola is genetically modiied in the same way your prized begonias would be. It was created using traditional crossbreeding techniques and is no more superscience than bananas are-by the way, look up the Gros Michel die off an then the current crisis with the Calabash.
Canola was bred to remove the toxins that at the time would be deadly. As it now stands, the presence of those chemicals is laughable. Canola oil is both cheap and healthy when compared to most other oils and can be considered the poor mans extra virgin olive oil. Get your facts straight.
Insights and Theories
Posted by Douglas (Md) on 08/21/2013
No canola oil is not at all healthy. It is one of the main causes of diabetes. When using canola oil it takes 6 months to undo the damage from 1 serving of this nasty oil. It places an artificial fat wall around your cells walls that disrupt the electrical balance of your cells. This fat wall then does not allow glucose to properly penetrate. This knocks your pancreatic cells out of whack which produce Insulin and causes blood sugar imbalance. You can fix this in about 6 months if you cut out all canola oil as well as all margirin and vegetable oil. Buy a bottle of cold pressed Flaxseed oil and a bag of ground flaxseed. The ground flaxseed has to be used as soon as its introduced to the air because it goes rancid very quick. The flaxseed oil must have the top secured at all times and kept away from heat and light. Mix 1 table spoon with 2 tablespoons of 4% milkfat cottage cheese. Or you can double the amount depending on how hungry you are. Mix very well. Take this mixture and add in 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed. Mix well and you can optionaly add cinnamon for blood sugar balancing(it mimmicks insulin) and apricott or organic fruit of your choice. Eat this 3 times per day. This diet is known as the budwig diet and it reverses diabetes as well as cancer. Avoid taking vitamin C when using this diet at least 3 hours before or after eating. The flaxseed oil mixes with the fat of the cottage cheese in a way that makes it become water soluble. The oil then can bypass the liver and directly bring oxygenation to your cells and organs through your blood stream. Your diabetes will be reversed within 6 months or less if you eliminate all bad fats especialy canola, margerin, and vegetable oils. Also if you can get organic cottage cheese that is the prefered type to use. God bless and good luck to everyone. Sending light and love out to all that read this!!!!
Insights and Theories
Posted by Timh (Ky, Usa) on 10/23/2013 2042 posts
Inner Ear Infection, Imbalance Issues
Posted by Jeanette (Rush, Ny) on 10/26/2010
I am an aromatherapist, and if you were having just a regular earache I would recommend using a few drops of undiluted tea tree essential oil in each ear and the apply a warm watter compress to each ear. But this sounds more serious so I would bring our the big guns, and this means being very respectful of the power of this essential oil. The essential oil I am referring to is Clove oil. It contains a chemical composition called eugenol and this is a powerful anti-bacterial agent, as well as an analgesic (pain killer). Put a few drops of the clove or clove bud oil on a Q-tip and insert into the ear as far as it will comfortably go, do not get any oil on your hands or near your eyes, if you do get it on your hands avoid touching any mucous membranes and wash your hands repeatedly. This application is also good for toothaches and on cystic acne. When the ear is feeling better, or even when using the eugenol you can do the OP. I sincerely hope this information will help you. Personally if I were deserted on an island I would have to have the BIG THREE essential oils Lavender, Tea Tree, and Clove Oil
Castor Oil
Posted by Sueli (Boston, MA) on 03/19/2009
Hello and thank you to all who contribute to this wonderful resource! I have a question regarding blood type and type of oil used. I read somewhere that there is a way to find depending on one's blood type a particular oil may work best for his/her condition (I don't know if this is only true for oil pulling, or if it holds true for ingesting the oil also). Does anyone know about this? Thanks in advance.
Dental Issues
Posted by Susan (Stroudsburg, Pa) on 01/25/2009
★★★★★
Oil pulling got rid of my tooth pain in just 3 days. I had a very painful toothache, my whole jaw and ear hurt from the pain. I could not get into see a dentist for two weeks. For several nights I could not sleep due to the pain. I tried several things first like splitting raw garlic and applying to both sides of tooth and gum area, it relieved it somewhat. I also tried rubbing with oregano oil I had in the medicine chest. I then found info on oil pulling on earth clinic. I was disparate, and tried it. I'm not sure if the garlic kicked in or the oregano....but soon I drifted off to sleep in much less pain. I used organic pure extra virgin coconut oil, unrefined, unbleached. I remember reading that this oil has antibacterial properties somewhere. I woke up the next morning and did it again. I also rubbed raw honey on he area, as I have read that has antibacterial properties as well. It was still hard to chew food for two days...but the pain was subsiding dramatically. By the fourth day I stopped oil pulling. And the pain continued to diminish and go away. I can chew good now and absolutely no pain. I am amazed! I'm curious as to what the dentist will find when I go to see him next week. Now today I did oil pulling again...going to do everyday to see if it whitens my teeth. Will keep you posted!
Broad Benefits
Posted by Albert (Montclair, NJ,USA) on 01/23/2009
★★★★★
Hello, I was as skeptical as anyone else about the claims of OP but figured I'd give it a try since it's a natural "remedy" and not expensive. This is the first month of OP and I ahve already seen some changes. I swish a tablespoon with refined Sunflower oil for 20 minutes every morning and thouroughly rinse and wash my teeth and gums with olive oil soap. At first it took some getting used but now it comes as second nature... First I had a dull pain in my right foot. As soon as I took my first step out of bed and put some weight on it, there it was a reminder of the pain... I no longer have that pain in the foot.. would say I noticed the pain was gone about 2eeksd ago. I had bleeding gums everytime I brushed my teeth and after a month of OP, my gums are pink and healthy. For two weeks now, I have not used the medication my dermatologist prescribed for the rosea rash I have on my face and the redness has almost cleared up... with continued use I anticipate the redness to be gone in a month or two. My best advise is to have patience. this is something that will not work overnight but keep at it and you might see some real benefit. I know I have.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Adad (Colombo, Sri Lanka) on 12/01/2008
★★★★★
To Mona from Bangalore: Do not stop rinsing your mouth with sesame oil. I had rhumatoid arthritis three years ago in my fingers and wrists of both bands. Not only did my arthritis was completely cured in three months, but also my puffed up face which was due to allergic rhinitis (cattarrah). Further this practice also cured by wife's 20 year old bladder infection, the numbness on her thigh; my daughter's and niece's tooth ache; dark circles round another niece's eyes and some other cures about which I hope to post in details. Wish you good health and good luck. God bless you.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Barbara (KEY WEST, FL) on 11/02/2008
★★★★★
I found great relief from oil pulling for chronic sinus, nasal & ear blockage, mouth lesions and blood blisters. My ongoing symptoms have appeared when exposed to moldy housing conditions, not overlooking the molds on improperly washed foods. I tried oil pulling from oil in plastic bottles because I had very little money and could get plenty of extra virgin olive oil on sale buy one get one free.
It tasted so awful I almost threw up!!!! And my oil pulling results became adverse. I became ultra sensitive to smells in the air like exhaust fumes, molds from the rains and tropical Key West heat, chemical smells like burning tires- from some unknown source, etc. I stopped using the cheap oil.
