Oil Pulling: Ancient Secret for Optimal Health

Print Friendly or Save Article as PDF

oil_pulling_benefits
By Sayer Ji

Contributing writer for Wake Up World

What is Oil Pulling?

Oil pulling is an ancient Indian folk remedy first mentioned in the early Ayurvedic text, the Charaka Samhita, which was believed to have been written approximately 1500 years ago. The Charaka Samhita describes oil pulling as effective for improving more than just oral health, but also 30 other systemic diseases ranging from headache, migraine to diabetes and asthma.

Modern scientific inquiry increasingly confirms oil pulling’s benefit to oral health:

  • Proven to be as effective as the chemical chlorhexidine (as in Oral B mouthwash) for chronic bad breath (halitosis) [i] but without the side effects.
  • Proven to be beneficial in patients with gingivitis[ii] and can result in whiter teeth and pinker gums.
  • Proven to reduce the cavity-linked Streptococcus mutans bacteria in plaque and saliva of children.[iii]
  • Proven to exert antibacterial actions through emulsification and saponification.[iv]

Because oil pulling positively affects the composition of bacteria in the mouth by killing pathogenic microorganisms, it makes sense that it would be beneficial in other seemingly related health conditions. When the gums or teeth are infected, bacterial cells and/or their highly immunogenic components, e.g. lipopolysaccharide, can more easily enter the blood wreaking widespread inflammation. Insofar as oil pulling nips the bacteria-associated cascade of harmful, inflammatory reactions in the bud, it may reduce the toxic load on the entire body.

To oil pull, simply swish a tablespoon of oil (sesame, coconut and sunflower are commonly recommended) in your mouth for approximately 15-20 minutes on an empty stomach and then spitting it out. [For a “how to” video, see below.]

Root Causes: How Infected Teeth Damage Your Overall Health

One common cause of this ongoing bacteria-mediated inflammation is the presence of a root canal. There are many reasons to avoid root canals, and common sense would dictate keeping a dead piece of your body attached to living tissue is a bad idea, but millions undergo this procedure under the advice of their dentist or endodontic specialist without fully being informed of the deleterious health consequences.

The reality is that there are miles of maze-like microtubules within the dead tooth, a perfect breeding ground for anaerobic oral microorganisms that secrete potent endotoxins. It is simply impossible to completely fill these voids with dental compounds.

Case in point, a 1998 study published in the journal Annuals of Periodontology titled “Anaerobic bacteremia and fungemia in patients undergoing endodontic therapy: an overview,” found that endodontic therapy (root canal) is associated with high rates of infection (up to 54%) with anaerobic bacteria. More recent research confirms this finding. A 2005 study in the Journal of Dentistry also found “Detection of bacteraemias during non-surgical root canal treatment.” View article here.

Unfortunately, root canals lead to the secretion of endotoxins directly into the blood, and while oil pulling may reduce some of the fall out from having an infected tooth, it will not resolve the underlying issue. Often, removal of the canaled tooth is the only permanent solution.

The good news is that oil pulling is an easy to perform intervention with a high margin of safety. Many report significant mitigation of seemingly unrelated health issues following its regular practice. Often the best proof is first-hand experience. Give it a try and please report your experiences below in the comments section below.

For additional research on the value of oil pulling visit GreenMedInfo’s page on the topic: Oil Pulling.

Article Sources:

Recommended articles by Sayer Ji:

About the author:

Sayer Ji is the founder of Greenmedinfo.com, a reviewer at the International Journal of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, Co-founder and CEO of Systome Biomed, Vice Chairman of the Board of the National Health Federation, and Steering Committee Member of the Global Non-GMO Foundation.

For more, visit GreenMedInfo.com and Facebook.com/GreenMedInfo, or sign up for GreenMedInfo’s free e-Newsletter.

© April 25th, 2013 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for their newsletter here.

If you've ever found value in our articles, we'd greatly appreciate your support by purchasing Mindful Meditation Techniques for Kids - A Practical Guide for Adults to Empower Kids with the Gift of Inner Peace and Resilience for Life.

In the spirit of mindfulness, we encourage you to choose the paperback version. Delve into its pages away from screen glare and notifications, allowing yourself to fully immerse in the transformative practices within. The physical book enriches the learning process and serves as a tangible commitment to mindfulness, easily shared among family and friends.

Over the past few years, Wake Up World has faced significant online censorship, impacting our financial ability to stay online. Instead of soliciting donations, we're exploring win-win solutions with our readers to remain financially viable. Moving into book publishing, we hope to secure ongoing funds to continue our mission. With over 8,500 articles published in the past 13 years, we are committed to keeping our content free and accessible to everyone, without resorting to a paywall.

You may also like