Oil Pulling
Health Benefits

Oil Pulling: Unlock Natural Oral Health & Detox Benefits

Sensitive Gums

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
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Posted by Patsy (Stockton-on-tees, Uk) on 05/21/2012
★★★★★

I have been using Rice Bran oil for about 4 weeks now. I have seen no other comments about the use of this oil so would like confirmation that it is ok to use (all I had in the store cupboard when I began). It seems to have cured my gum problem - I can safely rinse my mouth with cold water without pain - something impossible to do before. There doesn't seem to be any other improvements so far, however I think I have a cleaner tongue. How long does one keep going with this?


Side Effects

73 User Reviews
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Posted by Stellams (Kuwait) on 01/03/2018

I have been oil pulling for a couple of years now but not sure it has made any significance to my overall health. However, I was just about to open a new bottle of sesame oil and decided it was time to research, ie to see if it was still worth while doing it!

It was then I not only discovered I was doing the wrong process - using the oil like a mouth wash, ie rinsing and spitting out straight away - but also read that one of the side effects was stomach pains and diarrhoea, something I have been suffering intermittently from for the last two years.

I have tried to put the stomach pain and uncontrollable diarrhoea down to a particular food, to no avail. Then I read the research on oil pulling, but if I wasn't doing it properly then would I have this digestion problem?

My question is this, if I give the oil pulling a rest, of say a week or two, then try doing the proper 15/20min version, would it work, ie would I feel the real benefits of oil pulling or wouldn't it make a difference, ie would I still suffer from digestive problems?

I would appreciate any opinions on this.

Stellams


Side Effects
Posted by J (Leicestershire, UK) on 02/25/2015

I have a query regarding oil pulling. There are some other websites that warn of the risk of lipid pneumonia as small droplets of oil could be accidentally inhaled. Can anyone comment on this risk?

Replied by Om
(Hope, Bc Canada)
02/25/2015

Halo, J. (Leicester, UK)---- you will find more such scurrilous remarks online. The public is waking up which is uncomfortable for some.

OP is becoming very popular and mostly, not on advice from the dental community. This Ayurvedic protocol is thousands of years in practice using only sesame oil or sunflower oil for best utilization. It will remove toxins from the body and save your teeth. Use your discrimination and enjoy the path to good health. Namaste, Om


Side Effects
Posted by Edith (Columbia, Maryland) on 01/03/2015
★★★☆☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

Has anybody tried oil pulling for hormonal issues? I've been dealing with hormonal problems and gigantic uterine fibroids for years. I have too much estrogen or too little progesteron. Probably candida problem as well. I've been oil pulling for two month. I missed a day or two here and there, but not much. Started with extra virgin/virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil, then extra virgin olive oil, now coconut oil again. It definitely helps with my hormonal issues, and my fibroids, which is why I don't want to stop, but ever since I've started oil pulling, I've been having some serious flu-like symptoms. On and off, mostly on. Mainly sinus problems (that seem to be candida related) and bad fatigue. I'm pretty sure this is healing crisis, but how much longer is this supposed to last? It just would be easier not to give up knowing how much longer to hold on.

Replied by Timh
(KY)
01/03/2015
2048 posts

Edith: It is obvious you need to do some additional detox remedies and cleanses. For starters ---ACV, Iodine, Turpentine, Borax, and herbs like Garlic and Oregano.

Replied by Edith
(Maryland)
01/03/2015

Thank you for your advice! I did one thorough colon-liver cleanse 2 months before starting oil pulling. I'm aware how amazing cleanses are, unfortunately I find them very time and money consuming. I'm already using apple cider vinegar and all kinds of herbs that are good for the sinuses and are antifungal. I'm also using colloidal silver nose spray and xylitol-grapefruit seed extract-saline nose spray to treat my sinus infection. Taking cayenne pepper capsules helps with the fatigue. I've just checked out turpentine and borax, never knew they were so beneficial. I knew about iodine, I just somehow never got to try it. I will give these a try, thank you for the tip!


Side Effects
Posted by Holly (Atlanta, Ga) on 08/16/2014

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?


Side Effects
Posted by Maxine (Guayaquil, Ecuador) on 06/20/2014

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.


Side Effects
Posted by Liz From Atlanta, Usa (Atlanta, Georgia, Usa) on 05/10/2014

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.

Replied by Mmsg
(Somewhere, Europe)
05/10/2014

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

Replied by Cat
(Austin, Tx)
01/19/2015

You might also change your oils, see what won't make you gag. First time I tried it, couldn't go more than a minute without gagging on sesame oil. I switched to coconut and could at least go 5 minutes. Now, I can go 20+ minutes with sesame, coconut, and olive. So, don't get discouraged. If you need to, start with water and a couple of drops of oil -- reduce water and add more oil as you get adjusted to the oil in your mouth.

Replied by Kennywally
(Midwest)
06/02/2016
46 posts

To Liz (Atlanta):

I tried all them oils, olive, sesame etc, but I settled on coconut oil due to taste and it performs quite well. I know originally it called for other oils, but I found them to be difficult to keep in mouth for very long. And to me, 15-20 minutes was ridiculous, but if anyone prefers that, by all means, continue til your heart is content. I vigorously pull for about 20 seconds then spit red, due to chronic gum issues, then I pull again and I spit pink, then I pull one more time and it's clear and I do it prior to bed, because bedtime, the overnight is when the bacteria multiplies the most, and not rinsing off the oil allows the natural antimicrobial quality of the coconut oil to do a bit of protecting while I sleep, Hope that adds to your info base.


Side Effects
Posted by Baaarb (Sumter, Sc) on 07/20/2013

My daughter and I started oil pulling about a week and a half ago. I have various health issues. Interstitial cystitis (aka painful bladder), heart disease, high BP and high cholesterol, allergies and arthritis, migraines. We use coconut oil to pull and I was hoping to feel better... Instead I have been really sick with the worst migraine ever and we both have this itchy rash. My daughter said she is stopping the oil pulling and I am wondering if I should do the same? My sinus did seem better, but now I have even more medicine to take (benedryl) because of the itching. Can you tell me what to do?

Replied by Diverguy1979
(Lebanon, Indiana)
01/12/2014
★★★★★

I'm 34 y/o male and have been using this site for seven years, it is truly my go to for all my ailments. I feel what you may be experiencing is a sick like condition from the oil pushing out toxins. I read about this affect on the hydrogen peroxide treatment page. I urge you to read up on this and then decided for yourself to push through or discontinue. I wish you luck in your research!


Side Effects
Posted by Blistered (Chicago, Il) on 02/27/2013

I tried oil pulling for the first time this morning using Meditteranean blend oil, which contains soya, sunflower and extra virgin olive oil. I did this before eating and drinking anything. I swished for 20 mins. , then rinsed with warm water, brushed my teeth and drank three glasses of water. It is now evening and I now have blisters in my mouth. Never had them before. Has this happened to someone else? Am I swishing too long, using wrong oil?? What can I do to avoid getting blisters. Thank you!!

Replied by Cat
(Austin, Tx)
03/02/2013

I had this once when I used sunflower oil and when I switched to virgin coconut oil, I have not had this problem again. I will say, when I eat sunflower seeds, I get a rash around my mouth. I think perhaps that I may be allergic to sunflower seed and oil. If I were you, once my mouth healed, I would go with testing one oil at a time until I found one that did not cause blisters. Many recommend starting with sesame.


Side Effects
Posted by Farra (Duncan, Oklahoma, Usa) on 12/27/2012

I tried OP for the first time yesterday with pure virgin olive oil. Healthy with no known disease just wanted to try it. I was only able to do it for 5 mins. My partner said my breath was terrible the rest of the day, into the night. She even claims that when we woke up the whole room smelled a little "rotten". This morning I did more research and tried again, 20 mins. I rinsed with salt water after and brushed (I did neither the day before). I read through so many post and seems no one experienced bad breath AFTER, is this strange? I could only think it must be doing something if a tiny bit of olive oil is making that big of difference. Any thoughts or suggestions, should I discontinue use?

Replied by Timh
(Louisville, Ky, Usa)
12/28/2012
2048 posts

I too get bad breath from O.P. It must represent the condition of some type infection or toxin in the body. I use mouthwash before and after O.P. , and also take 1 grm Vit-C before and 3 grms MSM after O.P. I also swish H2O2 occasionally to reduce the yellowing of the teeth.

Replied by Mmsg
(Somewhere, Europe)
12/28/2012

Farra, there are 2 things you can do: 1. continue just as till now and within a week, it should clear us IF the oil is "doing something". 2. Switch to a different oil and see if you get other results.

Replied by Cameron
(Brisbane, Qld, Australia)
12/29/2012

Do not brush your teeth after Oil Pulling!!!!!! If you just use the Oil and then rinse your mouth after you will not have bad breath, if you really need to brush do so before Oil Pulling. Try using Sesame as it is the most highly recommended and best tasting(to me) my breath is great the following morning after OP the night before and no plaque or yuck taste first thing.

Replied by Swishie
(Green Fort Greene, Neverland, Second Star)
06/28/2013

20 minutes may be too long as well. You're creating an emulsification that draws out then traps the bacteria in your mouth & encouraging saponification. You want the oil pulled to be white and frothy when you spit. If it falls and goes clear you're basically swishing toxic stuff all over your teeth. I do 15 minutes.

& Always brush beforehand! The sesame oil has been proven to retard plaque for up to 12 hours.


Side Effects
Posted by Oilpuller (Toronto, On,canada) on 12/03/2012

I have done oil pulling in the past, but never was a regular oil puller... I have been in good health, with no major complaints and had excellent immune system.

Since beginning of this year... Life has kind of been on roller coaster ride, fractured bone, death of family member, a miscarriage... Kind of have taken over my health and to add to that, something I kept ignoring until last week, white discharge from gums from couple of places... I was hoping it will go away on own.. but it persisted.

After visit to dentist... He said, most likely one of the lower front tooth will have to come out and I did not like hearing that, Came home and started oil pulling with coconut oil with few drops of oil of oregano... Feel my gums are bit better but the infection is still there, going to dentist tomorrow for cleaning (after 3 long years) and hope he will see some improvement.. plan to pull after the cleaning.

The biggest concern now is... I woke up today and felt like I was hit by a bus... Extreme fatigue.. Forced myself to work... Not able to concentrate... Want to sleep. With a toddler at home, hard to get any rest until its time to hit the bed... I had flu last week... And the cough and cold are still there. Should I switch the oils or continue and hope things will improve...

I want to know if someone had similar symptoms which subsided and got benefits...

Replied by Timh
(Louisville, Ky, Usa)
12/04/2012
2048 posts

Oilpuller: I Oil Pull for whole body detox, which requires some additional cleaning as a result. I use otc mouthwash before and Hydrogen Peroxide after O. P. Also I experience symptoms of Esophagitis that causes extreme fatigue; treatment for this is burst Vit-A or Vit-E softgel in mouth and slowly swallow fallowed by Zinc Lozenge.

It appears you need any level of detox, but to stay specific, I personally do a Baking Soda/Sea Salt buffer, wait 15 min. take one grm Vit-C, Oil Pull, H2O2 wash, take 2 grm MSM.

https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/detoxification.html


Side Effects
Posted by Vero (El Paso, Tx, Usa) on 08/22/2012

I started OP just a few days ago to better my oral hygiene and also for help with my allergies. I'm starting with coconut oil because I am currently breastfeeding and wanted to start slowly with something mild then work up to the sesame/sunflower oil. What I've noticed these past few days is my teeth are whiter and my sinuses are draining but also I notice I'm experiencing panic attacks and feel a bit light headed at times. I'll continue to OP because I read a worsening of symptoms is a sign of being cured but are these symptoms "normal" or should I switch oils? Also I do feel completely drained and can't afford to with a toddler. Can I expect these symptoms to go away and if so, how soon? Thanks in advance.

Replied by Hope
(Sacramento, Ca)
08/22/2012

I also experienced great teeth whitening with coconut oil, but it raised my blood pressure rather severely.

A year later I had forgotten about that and decided to oil pull with it again, as I was going to my dentist in a few weeks for a teeth cleaning and wanted to impress him with my whiter teeth.

Unfortunately, (or fortunately), the office was now taking blood pressure readings before doing the work and my BP was Extremely high and they would not clean my teeth as a result. I remembered about the VCO and have not used it from that day on.

I also do not go to the dentist anymore, as oil pulling with sesame oil, flossing, and using baking soda, keeps my teeth in very good health :-)

Replied by Mmsg
(Somewhere, Europe)
08/23/2012

Vero, it seems that sesame oil is milder for OP than coconut oil. Switch and experiment. Right now you cannot afford the "detox" stuff.


Side Effects
Posted by Stella (New York) on 08/07/2012

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

I started oil pulling with organic VCO. I followed the procedure and even did the 5 minutes ted recommended instead of 20. My skin looked great and my gums started to improve but about a week after, I noticed that my teeth were sensitive. It was as if my fillings were loosening. I had to chew slowing and avoid sugar, even xyitol. After I stopped pulling, most of the sensitivity went away. Has anyone else experienced this? I'd like to continue but not if my fillings are going to loosen.


Side Effects
Posted by Betsy (Northampton, Northants, England) on 05/23/2012

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

I am on my fourth day of OP with Coconut oil and since day 3 I have had a really dry mouth. This is not something I have ever suffered from before. I am drinking about 4 litres of water a day. I am ok when I eat something but about an hour later I am really dry again. Has anyone else suffered from this because I have read a lot of posts and not come across this side effect. I have also come out with a very spotty face which I am hoping is just my body detoxing. On the plus side I have much less hunger and don't crave any sweet food at all, most unlike me.

Replied by Mgws
(Dover, New Hampshire, Usa)
05/23/2012

I tried it for awhile and found the same dry mouth thing and took it for a "yes, I should be drinking more water" phenomenon. I stopped OP because it was inconvenient--shame on me? I only personally knew of one person doing it and I suppose I needed more encouragement/confirmation.

Replied by Lily
(Brisbane, Queensland, Australia)
05/24/2012

Hi Betsy, you are drinking too much water and washing away your minerals eg: potassium and magnesium. If you cut back your water intake your thirst will eventually go away but you have to persevere. The recommended amount of water is 2 litres a day. 4 is far too much. I take in less than 2 litres in the winter. You may need to supplement with magnesium tablets to stop your thirst faster. Potassium is in many foods, you can look up potassium rich foods on the net. Hope this helps. Lily.

Replied by Tony
(Church Hill, Tn, Usa)
05/24/2012

This is a reply to Lily from Australia. Where did you get that 4 litres of water is too much intake? I'm not a health professional at all but when you detox the body you're supposed to drink as much water as possible. Just look up other responses about detoxifying the body on here. Bill & Ted both will say in wouldn't hurt to drink a gallon of water a day. Of course, that would be purified water only. We need to rid the body of these toxins so flushing them out with plenty of water is the way to go. Thanks!

Replied by Betsy
(Northampton, Northants, England)
05/29/2012
★★★★★

Just wanted to update you. My dry mouth has stopped without me making any changes, so it must just have been my body getting used to the oil pulling. I maybe should have mentioned I exercise a lot with respect to the amount of water I drink, twice a day most days so I need to keep hydrated. I also take multivitamins because of the goodness I lose in my sweat as recommended by a fitness trainer.

My spots on my face seem to be going and my skin is looking nice. I still have a decreased appetite and don't crave sugar at all.


Side Effects
Posted by Dorothy (San Francisco, Ca) on 03/31/2012

I've been oil pulling for five months, and I've noticed an increasing heart rate, which got up to around 95 bpm at the most. Usually my heart rate is around 65-72 bpm. I've felt increased energy and have lost weight, even more than I would like. After my heart rate shot up, I quit OPing altogether for a about a week and a half and am now OPing every few days. I realize that I could be going through a healing crisis, but how long do these crises usually last? I've had difficulty sleeping and feel very fidgety frequently. I don't understand it. Can anyone shed light on this? I want to continue OPing, but I don't want my heart rate to be out of control. I'm nearing 60 years of age. Thanks for any feedback!

EC: Hi Dorothy, what type of oil are you using?

Replied by Dane
(Portland, Or)
03/31/2012

I have a similar question, I'm a 26 year old male in very good health, but ever since moving back to Portland, OR (cloudy wet and rainy) 3 years ago I have had sinus congestion and seasonal allergies pretty badly (I struggled with these issues as a child here as well throughout the grey winters and into spring). I started oil pulling and am now on day 7, the first four days I had really red eyes and heavier bags than usual every morning, which I assumed were detox symptoms and now the past three days I have had an increased heart rate with palpitations upon any activity, restlessness and minor abdominal pains. I have been taking some organic food-based vitamins with probiotics and making sure to drink plenty of fluids and electrolytes, but don't want to overconsume any minerals. Are these normal symptoms?

I have been alternating sunflower and EVCO every morning.

I feel great every year by the end of summer so I think there may be some sort of seasonal deficiency that I suffer from, but I wanted to get on top of this if I am going to live here any longer. Should I keep OPing? Are symptoms I am experiencing very unusual?

Replied by Dorothy
(San Francisco, CA)
04/01/2012

Hi Dane, I have the same problem, an increased heart rate with OPing. I haven't found much info on it. I use organic coconut oil, and I'm wondering if I ought to use another one. I'm afraid that my blood pressure has also gone up, although I haven't taken it. I've had to cut way down on OPing. I used to OP daily, each morning for five months, but I had to stop for awhile, and now I'm only doing it twice a week. My heart rate actually went up to around 95, and it's usually in the 60-72 range. I'm also having heart palpitations. I keep researching for answers. I don't want to stop OPing as it does give me increased energy and is a mood enhancer, but I don't like having a rapid heart rate.

Replied by Dorothy
(San Francisco, Ca)
04/02/2012

Hi EC, Thanks for responding to my post! I've been using Organic Coconut Oil.

Replied by Hope
(Sacramento, California)
04/02/2012

Hi Dorothy -You may want to try sesame or sunflower oil for pulling. More than once, when I pulled with coconut oil, my blood pressure went sky high. Although it made my teeth much whiter than op-ing with other oils, it did not agree with my heart.....

I still, after more than a year, pull only with sesame and sunflower oil without side effects.

Replied by Dorothy
(San Francisco, Ca)
04/04/2012

Thank you, Hope, for your suggestion! I did buy some sesame oil to oil pull with originally, then opted for coconut oil. I wonder what it is about the coconut oil that causes rapid heart rate and sky-high blood pressure? I didn't take my blood pressure as it scared me just having a 95 bpm heart rate.

Replied by Mvo
(Johannesburg, South Africa)
04/04/2012

Please google "the pulse test" you may find the answer to your question.

Replied by Seeker
(Tampa, Fl)
05/12/2012

95 heartbeat is nothing. I was put on heart monitor for a day because of the stress and palpatations I was getting. My heart rate was shooting up over 160 several times a day. No wonder it felt uncomfortable. I am only in my 30s.



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