Oil Pulling: This is How the Detox Method from Ayurveda Works

Oil pulling is for some as commonplace as brushing their teeth, others shake with disgust just hearing about it: Every morning take a sip of oil in the mouth, rinse properly and then spit out. Oil pulling has now become a popular detox ritual. However, the application from alternative medicine is by no means a novel trend, but a centuries-old healing method. The effect of oil pulling should not be limited to a healthy oral flora, but extend to the holistic treatment of various diseases. The easy-to-perform healing method has many supporters, but also causes doubts and criticism. Read here how oil pulling works and whether it actually does any good.

What is oil pulling?

Oil pulling, in English Oil Pulling, is an alternative medicine healing application, which is also known under the terms oil cure, oil sucking or oil chewing. In oil pulling, the oral cavity is rinsed with a vegetable oil or an oil mixture over a certain period of time, depending on the method. The goal is primarily to “pull out” harmful substances from the body.

Where does oil pulling come from?

This holistic method dates back to ancient traditions such as Ayurveda, the Indian teaching of healthy living. Oil pulling first appears in the Charaka Samhita, the oldest Ayurvedic scripture, under the name Kavala Graha or Kavala Gandoosha. Over 30 different diseases are listed in the 2,000-year-old work, which are said to be combated by oil pulling (here with sesame oil). Oil pulling, especially with sunflower oil, probably originated in Ukrainian and Russian folk medicine. The treatment recommendations existing in the German-speaking countries are to be led back on two articles in the medical specialized literature from the year 1991. Both publications refer to a lecture by the Russian physician Dr. Fedor Karach, who is said to have presented the procedure at a congress of oncologists and bacteriologists. However, exact dates and sources for this are missing, and citable publications by a doctor Karach are not available.

What is the point of oil pulling?

Besides keeping teeth and oral flora healthy, the most important benefit of oil pulling is detoxification of the body. In addition, the method is said to prevent systemic and chronic diseases through detoxification, alleviate their symptoms as well as other ailments, and even cure some diseases. Below, we present the health effects of oil pulling in more detail.

Oil pulling as a teeth cleaning method?

Oil pulling is said to be particularly beneficial for teeth cleaning and healthy oral flora, and specifically helps against or prevents the following ailments:

  • Bleeding gums
  • Bad breath
  • Dental plaque
  • Caries
  • Tooth discoloration
  • Dry mouth
  • Chapped lips

Indeed, some studies – especially Indian – report a proven positive effect of oil pulling on dental and oral health. Nevertheless, oil pulling does not replace brushing teeth, but serves as a complementary way to maintain the health of the oral cavity.

Oil pulling as a detox ritual

Oils and oil blends are said to be able to pull toxins and pollutants out of the body through the tongue and oral mucosa. This is because oil pulling stimulates the salivary glands and thus supports the elimination of harmful substances from the body. Advocates of the method also swear by detox cures – that is, detoxification cures – using the oil pulling method. For example, when losing weight or fasting, the dwindling fatty tissue releases previously stored harmful substances. These can then be removed from the body by oil pulling.

What diseases is oil pulling said to help with?

Specifically, in addition to maintaining healthy oral flora, the healing method is said to help with the following diseases and ailments:

This list does not claim to be complete, because many positive effects are attributed to oil pulling. However, one should be aware that the effect of oil pulling on many of these complaints is based only on reports of experience and is not scientifically proven.

Oil pulling for ailments associated with cancer?

Patients with cancers of the mouth, throat, gastrointestinal tract, liver or kidney often suffer from bad breath because such tumors alter cell structure. Certain drugs used in cancer treatment can promote inflammation of the oral mucosa. In addition, some forms of therapy, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, can cause increased death of mucosal cells, which also leads to the development of odors. Furthermore, the mucous cells form a breeding ground for microorganisms due to the treatment, so that bacteria and fungi can cause gases and thus bad breath. In these cases, oil pulling can help affected cancer patients, as it has antioxidant and antibacterial effects. In addition, the oil forms a kind of protective film over the oral mucosa. Oil pulling can thus be used to combat bad breath and inflammation associated with cancer, but not to prevent or treat cancer per se.

Explanations for the mechanisms of action of oil pulling

There are various theories for the mode of action of oil pulling, but they are not proven. Basically, it is said that swishing the oil in the mouth stimulates the oral mucosa to secrete and eliminate pathogens and toxins. These are bound in the oil and removed from the body by spitting the oil out. Rinsing in the mouth turns the oil milky white. Advocates of oil pulling claim that this is a sign of the cleansing effect of the oil and the toxins dissolved in it. In fact, however, the oil emulsifies. That is, the substances contained in saliva break down the fat in the oil, causing the milky coloration.

Advantages of oil pulling

The advantage of oil pulling in keeping the mouth healthy and teeth clean is that, unlike toothpaste, oil can get into all the spaces between the teeth. This is further aided by swishing and pulling in the mouth, as this forces the oil into all the gaps. In addition, neither three-minute toothbrushing nor a mouthwash applied in a few seconds can keep up with the 20-minute exposure time of the oil.

Disadvantages of oil pulling: Initial aggravations

But oil pulling also has its drawbacks: First of all, for many it is not the nicest idea to put oil in the mouth every morning on an empty stomach. This inhibition threshold must first be overcome. Furthermore, “side effects” may occur, such as diarrhea or increased secretion of nasal and pharyngeal mucus. The reason for this is detoxification, which can place a greater than usual burden on the organism. The release of harmful substances in the bloodstream can therefore also lead to an initial worsening, i.e. an apparent worsening of illnesses and complaints. These initial worsenings are also known from other alternative healing methods and are considered a positive signal from the body. Because they indicate that self-healing processes have been activated in the organism, which fight disease foci and metabolize increased waste products.

Criticism of oil pulling

The main point of criticism of oil pulling is undoubtedly the insufficient scientific research or the lack of proof of a positive effect of oil pulling on health through studies or other methods of proof. As mentioned above, there are some studies that have investigated the effect of oil pulling on oral and dental health. But it should be noted that these works have methodological flaws and their results are therefore not conclusive enough to confirm with certainty a positive effect of oil pulling on health. It has also not been scientifically proven that oil pulling can alleviate or even cure other diseases and ailments such as headaches, skin problems, arthritis or bronchitis. In alternative medicine, however, the procedure is recognized and widely used. Nevertheless, it should be kept in mind that the much advertised effects of oil pulling are merely assumptions based more on centuries of tradition than on established facts.