Oil Pulling: Unlock Natural Oral Health & Detox Benefits

i just got (5 days ago) my teeth all pulled and have temporary dentures in, my gums are swollen. Is it ok to use coconut oil pulling now, will it help with the swelling and healing or not? Don't want to cause issues if not recomended to do ...

Try organic unrefined coconut oil.

It might be worth noting that although coconut trees grow in India, traditional Ayurvedic oil pulling involves sesame or sunflower oil. And it might be worth noting that the person who first promoted (so far as I know) OP with coconut oil also has an interest in a coconut growers? association of some kind. I don't remember the name of either, but he has published various books on coconut oil. Always ask what the guy is selling. Always ask who might benefit. It is possible that in India sesame oil and sunflower oil are more readily available or less expensive, so are available to more people. Could someone comment on why coconut oil is not used for Ayurvedic oil pulling?

I don't understand why anyone would use canola oil. There is no canola plant. Canola oil is highly refined rapeseed oil. As it comes from the plant it is highly beneficial to health, but in processing it has long exposure to heat, light, and air, all of which degrade it, so that it is unhealthful before it even arrives at the supermarket. Just search on YouTube canola oil how it's made. On various oils (not for OP but on oils in general) see raypeatdotcom (several articles).

Thank you for all the useful information on Earth Clinic.

Hi Yuko... oil pulling
I have been oil pulling for almost a month now and have seen a significant difference in my teeth and gums... I can actually see the plague that came off of my teeth..My gums look better and I do believe toxins are coming out of my body as some days I have flu like symptoms and a rash... I love it because yes again I can see the plague off of my teeth.....and they are whiter..

I am using organic safflower oil

I've been oil pulling for over 7 months, every day, with no obvious benefits... I'm planning to keep doing it because I may have built up a lot of toxins in my body having many teeth root canal-ed. I have several sensitive teeth, and I have not noticed any differences either.

I started to drink Sole (Rock salt water). I'm wondering which is more effective - Oil pull first thing the morning and then Sole water, or the other way around.

Oil pulling is to draw toxins out, but Sole is much more than that. If you know which I should start first in the morning, please let me know. Also I would like to know how long I should wait to eat breakfast after drinking Sole.

Thanks, Yuko

Coconut oil melts at 76 degrees (F), so the solidified oil quickly liquifies inside mouth.

I have been oil pulling with coconut oil for almost 5 days now. On the evening of the second day I started a dense headache that has increased slowly and has now turned into a full blown migraine by the 5th day!! All week I did not take any OTC pain pills but I had to take something for the agonizing migraine. My question is, is this normal? My detox is horrific! I hear and read all these stories of how great people feel, I feel I've been hit by a bus! I want to continue OP, I'm am seeing positive results with skin and teeth but this detox is killing me. Do you have any words of wisdom?

I have had terrible problems with teeth and gums since childhood. As an adult it is too expensive to get all the repair work done. So I heard about the oil pulling and thought why not, it can only help. I have been cooking with the high quality organic coconut oil for a year now, so I have some on hand. I tried a tsp this morning because I was afraid it would make me want to gag. But I was surprised it didn't..it did the "pulling" while showering. Which was kind of like patting your head and rubbing your tummy..had to concentrate. So I will do this each morning now to see how it works. It certainly isn't going to hurt anything.

Aloha -

Just posted a question yesterday about how to tell whether a bottle of DMSO is the real thing, despite what they write on the label. But this seems real important too, so I'm writing my second question again as a separate post. [I had just found an older post from some months ago about using DMSO in oil-pulling, so this would definitely be a factor in that too].

I had written: "I had also dropped some in my mouth with iodine, as Walter Last suggested on is website for possible deep tooth problems (may have a problem with a root canal from over a year ago, which never fully stopped hurting). But then I thought about the 3 fillings I have left, made up of the old style mercury amalgam. Not to mention whatever material it is that filled the root canal.What's the probability that the DMSO would leach the mercury and other materials quickly and directly into my blood (even across the blood-brain barrier)? And more so than would happen anyways without using it?"

While trying to assess whether the DMSO I just received is really what it says it is, I have to question why I occasionally get a brief metallic taste in my mouth, rather than any garlicky or sulfur sort of taste. I get a quick spurt of it, not at the time I take or apply the DMSO, but throughout the day, having used it in the morning.

Maybe it could be from impurities in the DMSO itself? Though it claims to be of pharmaceutical grade 99.9% and up. (It was distributed by a building/materials company, though which claims to have been distributing this for 30 years).

Or maybe it could be from impurities being booted out of my own body, which were caught up somewhere in my system?

Or else, maybe from my amalgam fillings?

If the last possibility were the case... must decide whether it would be better not to use the DMSO at all and switch to MSM only - though I want to continue experimenting with it, with my stubborn tennis elbow (which started in September last year) and many other increasing malfunctions.

Of course, the best thing to do would be to replace the last 3 amalgam fillings I have, but I cannot afford to do that yet.

Is there anyone else with silver fillings who is getting this effect? I'd love to ask this to Walter Last (who wrote this: http://www.health-science-spirit.com/msm.html , along with many other great articles worth reading on that site), but he no longer takes questions.

Oh, by the way, I did put the roll-on bottle of DMSO in the fridge last night and it did freeze solid. But a dropper-full of it in a glass, from the larger bottle, did not solidify at all in the same fridge at the same time. Could there be other chemical compositions which would freeze at 65 F too?

Thanks again. Many great remedies to you all...

Is oil pulling safe if you are taking blood thinners and beta blockers?

Hi all. My local supermarket, here in Ecuador, has started selling Sacha Inchi "extra virgin" olive oil. I'd never heard of it before. Has anyone any experience of the oil or the seeds? I used it for the first time yesterday to oil pull and the detoxing effect was higher than when I've pulled with sunflower oil or virgin olive oil. Headaches, flu type symptoms, etc. I will, however, continue and see what happens after I've finished the bottle. Thanks in advance.

1. Oil pulling is best done first thing before brushing your teeth or drinking anything.

2.it is best to do it for 20 minutes.

3. Spit it out in the garbage.

4. Rinse with warm water , brush your teeth and drink water afterwards.

5. Do research on this, don't just listen to chat sites.

Do search engine on eskimos and their white/cavity free teeth. Their diet consists of seal oil which they put on foods and whale meat/innards. The whale & seal oil is high in Omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin d, vitamin a. I would look for the oil that is highest with these 3 for oil pulling-cod liver oil? The whale meat is probably chewed for a long time, and releases oil in the mouth, much like the oil pulling style, but more macular. When you look up the history of oil pulling it gives credit to india and asia going back 3000 years. It says nothing about any credit going to eskimos who go back at least 6000 years!!

The best oil for oil-pulling is Mustard Oil.

Liz, don't try too hard: 1. Two minutes is also useful! 2. You can also do it with plain ol' water!

I have a question about oil pulling. The benefits sound great and I really want to do this, but I can only hold a teaspoon of oil in my mouth for 1-2 minutes and then I start gagging and retching. I'm so glad I followed the advice to do this on an empty stomach! For the first week I used olive oil because that is what I had in the house, but then I bought some organic unrefined sesame oil and still I gag and retch. I've now tried 12 times and can't get beyond 2 minutes. I busy myself with with getting ready for the day to take my mind off the swishing, but that has not helped. So my question is, how can I overcome gagging and retching? Please advise.

Hi!

Am very interested in oil pulling for teeth care and helping with decay and cavities but am worried about silver or metal fillings maybe coming. Is there an oil I could use so I would not have to be concerned about fillings coming out? Thanks and please reply ASAP if possible as I want to get started immediately. Thanks,

William

I found that you really have to work up to using a tablespoon, I started with a teaspoon first then quickly graduated to the larger amounts each day as I got used to it till I can now have a full tablespoon. I hope that helps!

I wanted to write in with my own personal experience of oil pulling used in combination with my home made toothpaste which I have been doing for about 12 months now. I found the basis of my toothpaste here on earthclinic and from other research I did on the internet.

I can personally attest to the benefits of oil pulling. Definitely whiter teeth, at least two shades whiter and the oil removed the majority of stains within the first two months of use from a past history of having smoked for many years. No tartar ever since I started. The other thing it definitely does is remove particles of food which become lodged at the back of the mouth and tongue which can be missed when brushing the teeth and tongue .. oil pulling can also dislodge tonsil stones which you never knew you had. All these things can be missed and contribute to bad breath. Other things to note, while oil pulling, it will bring up phlegm which can also contribute to bad breath.

If oil pulling is done regularly and consistently with diligence .. properly .. swishing around the mouth for at least 15 - 20 minutes every night before bed you never wake up with bad breath in the morning. Gums are definitely healthier and pinker and has relieved mild tooth pain every single time.

My oil pulling regime has been done while I shower in an evening before bed and every morning when I wake up. Alongside oil pulling I have been using my homemade toothpaste. Sometimes I take my home made toothpaste and add it to my swishing mixture in my mouth which further adds to my oral hygiene routine. I am sure there are other things which have improved or that I have benefited from since I have been oil pulling which I have forgotten to add, for now this is my year long experience.

Note .. tongue brushing must be included in oral hygiene routines for good oral and dental health.

Thank you also earthclinic for having such a wonderfully diverse and informative site which helped me immensely in my journey towards better health.

I have the same question about porcelain crowns. I have several of them. I have been oil pulling for around a year now and I don't want them to fall out or start to come unglued. Any help with this would be appreciated! Yoli

Dear Harjit,

Personally, I would be comfortable oil pulling when not pregnant. You can stop if you find out that you have conceived.

~Mama to Many~

Hi, I have been married for 9 years and been trying for a child. I have been reading a lot of article on oil pulling.

My main questions is oil pulling safe for planning a pregnancy and for someone who is pregnant. What I know is oil pulling is a detox program. I would like to try but I'm having the fear of using it. Thank you.

When people refer to coconut oil, I don't know if they mean the solid, white oil but that sounds yucky. I imagine it causing a gag reflex. Medium Chain Triglycerides oil (MCT) is the lighter, liquid version of coconut oil and would be easier to get whole tablespoon in your mouth. It's more expensive though but good to have on hand for diet. I just thought, you could warm up to liquefy the solid before taking and that may be what everyone does! Oh well, I prefer the lighter taste of MCT or sunflower oil and use less than a Tbs so that I can keep in my mouth for the entire 20 min.

I did oil pulling for 20 minutes for my first time today. Was this too long and should I notice any side effects?

I was looking around at Mercola's house this morning and happened upon an article concering pathogens in the mouth that can cause problems else where in the body and thought this might be of interest to the "Oil Pulling" crowd. And Mercola mentions some information on this also. Here is the link: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/03/05/oral-pathogens.aspx

100% cold-pressed Castor Oil is actually used internally as a stimulant laxative (can be purchased at drugstores). So it can be used internally. Also, with the oil pulling method, you are not supposed to swallow the oil, since it is extracting toxins. It must be spit out.

I "oil pulled" this morning with DMSO. I used a half of a teaspoon, just a small amount of 99.9 purity of DMSO.

Here is what happened: I noticed a slight throbbing in one of my teeth but not enough to stop so I continued to vigorously swish the DMSO around. Once again there was a very pleasant warming sensation in my mouth.

The sensation of pain was mild and went away after I spit out the DMSO. I did notice this slight throbbing the first time I tried DMSO. Teeth are alive, they have nerves perhaps there is a fissure in one of them that needs mineralize to fill the fissure? I don't know. But I am going to experiment and am experimenting with the Azomite/DMSO solution for tooth re-mineralization.

My finger tips have healed up well, I for got where I posted that my fifnger tips were in pain that it was difficult to type but that problem is now GONE. And they are tougher then they were now and I had no pain in clipping my nails like I had before.

I don't know what exactly I am doing but I do know that I am acting in faith and I am trusting in the Word.

Thank you for statement. Would you kindly grace the rest of us with your sources and information proving your allegation? I would certainly like to see the research . It would save me from my own experimentations with DMSO. If there is already conclusive evidence that this process works and that plain sesame oil is the best then, please stop withholding from the rest of us your sources so that your peers here can review them. Thank you.

Lorna, from what I have read, plain ol' cooking sesame oil is fine for pulling.

Hi...I just started oil pulling. I'm 55 y.o. I am using grapeseed oil. Where would I purchase sesame oil or black cumin seed oil? I found the grapeseed oil fairly thick. Is this normal? Does the sesame oil you cook with differ from the sesame oil that you pull with. Appreciate your feedback...Tyvm

Ok. So I was looking over this Oil pulling issue and I don't know about it, yet. There seems to be many people reporting benefit from it. So I am going to try it. But I am going to be a bit of a risk taker. I am a grown up and have capacity so I took a small amount of 99.9 pure DMSO and swished it around in my mouth tonight and spit it out. It was quite surprising the sensation. It warmed up my mouth. DMSO is a solvent so it may stand to reason that a strong solvent may be a good "puller". I will keep researching this.

Cruciferous vegetables ...

Alexa: To improve the body's detoxification and ensure the health of the baby, substantially increase Calciferous vegetables in the diet (in the least); in the most take extracted supplements of DIM, I3C, Sulforaphane.

Dear Alexa,

My understanding has been that you should avoid doing things during pregnancy that cause detox, as toxins released could get to the baby. Unfortunately, the same recommendation holds during breastfeeding, so you end up having a long time where it is not best to do things that detox the body. Of course, in some ways the body is always detoxing...elimination channels are taking out toxins and waste regularly; the idea is just that you don't want to do extra detoxing while you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Now, midwives do sometimes recommend epsom salt baths (to stop pre-term contractions) and that can be detoxing. Perhaps it is milder. Though you wouldn't want to take a super-hot bath as it can raise the temperature of the baby.

If you are looking to do general detoxing, it would be best to wait. If you have a specific issue in your mouth you are dealing with, there may be some other things that would be better to try while pregnant.

~Mama to Many~

Is oil pulling safe during pregnancy?

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

I've been oil pulling over a year. Using varies organic extra virgin oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, evoo, 20 minutes in the morning everyday. The result is great! No more bad breath, aches and pains. sleep better (used to be a light sleeper). No more cracked heels. Overall health improvement except my hair. I have very fine, thin hair and short, and used to be able to shampoo when needed, about twice a week. But after two months of oil pulling, I noticed my hair gets stringing and oily next day after wash, it wasn't dirty, smelly or itchy. it looks awful. my scalp is normal. I've tried all the remedies online recommended. that includes baking soda, acv, and dish detergent, nothing works. it only makes the scalp and hair dry because of the stuffs I used. I use rinse just to help smooth the hair for easy combing, not on the scalp. Does this happen to anyone? Any suggestion?

Hi Jonathan, according to Ayurveda where O.P. originated, RAW SESAME oil is used for best results. Good luck, Om