By now you may have heard of oil pulling, an old Ayurvedic method used to detoxify and clean the teeth and gums with the added benefit of whitening teeth and strengthening the immune system too. But does oil pulling work? I know it seems unusual that swishing oil around your mouth can lead to a stronger immune system but it turns out that many infections and bacteria start in the mouth, so by improving oral health the immune system also benefits.
I will admit that oil pulling has been a slow process for me. Mostly because all I can think about when I get up in the morning is my cup of coffee (I know, I know…) and oil pulling is said to work best on an empty stomach when you first rise in the morning. It’s not essential to do it first thing in the morning, but it is highly recommended to oil pull on an empty stomach and I wanted to give it a fair shake. So for me it took some time to begin, but now that I have (I’ve been doing it every day for 2 weeks) I can tell the difference in my teeth and I look forward to it each morning.
My teeth were actually the ones who decided it was time to start oil pulling. I noticed my teeth were particularly sensitive a few weeks ago and decided to put oil pulling to the test. One oil pulling session later and my teeth felt…different. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but not only were they less sensitive, but I also felt different, in a good way. I was so intrigued that I decided to do it the next morning and the morning after and for the next 2 weeks straight (and counting!).
I add a super detox ingredient to my oil pulling regimen 1-2 times a week: essential oils
What I have noticed after 2 weeks of oil pulling:
Less sensitive gums (this was drastic and immediate)
Cleaner teeth throughout the day
Overall “good” feeling
I will continue my adventures in oil pulling and will report back after my first trip to the dentist in over a year when we return to the USA in June (we are finishing up an expat stay in Argentina now and I prefer to see my holistic dentist back in the states). Until then, here’s how you can do your own oil pulling at home:
How to do Oil Pulling 101:
1: Put 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil, olive oil or sesame oil on a spoon (I prefer coconut oil because there really isn’t anything coconut oil CAN’T do–check out how you can use coconut oil for acne)
2: Add 2 drops of pure, therapeutic grade Essential Oil
3: Put oil in mouth and let it melt
4: Swish oil around for 10-20 minutes. Try to really move it around your mouth and get it all over your teeth, “pulling” the oil through your teeth. DO NOT SWALLOW THE OIL!
5: Spit the oil in the TRASH BIN (not the drain or it will clog it up)
6: Rinse your mouth out with warm water or warm salt water. Salt water will decrease irritation if you have any (I never have any irritation but I like using salt water for extra gum cleaning).
7: Brush your teeth well and rinse your toothbrush, some people use a separate tooth brush for oil pulling but that’s up to you.
8: Other antiseptic essential oils to try: clove, thieves, peppermint. Learn about where to buy essential oils here. To be clear: you do not swallow anything while oil pulling!
Note to those with fillings: There are some reports that oil pulling can loosen fillings that are loose in the mouth so proceed with caution if you have a loose filling. This post has some great tips at the bottom about how to oil pull with fillings.
The Best from the Web on How to Do Oil Pulling:
Oil Pulling 101 from Mix Wellness
Oil pulling from The Crunchy Moose
How to Decrease Plaque with Oil Pulling from The Nourished Life
Oil Pulling: How and Why from Loula Natural
How to Heal Cavities Naturally from The Paleo Mama
How to Improve Oral Health Naturally from Yogi Mami
Hi there! This isn’t the first time I’ve seen people talk about using essential oil internally – which is very confusing to me because all of the essential oils I own clearly state “not for internal use” right on the label. Is it really safe to put essential oil in your mouth? Thank you!
Hey Rachel! It depends on who you talk to about essential oils. I think mainly it’s important to get a high quality “therapeutic grade” essential oil that is OK for internal use as a first step. I don’t recommend swallowing the essential oils–nothing should be swallowed when you are oil pulling (so you will spit the essential oils back out with the oil in the trash.). Some people do take essential oils internally and there are many, many recipes for oil pulling with essential oils. The only essential oil I take internally is oil of oregano and that’s when I’m really, really, sick. This recipe with lemon is only to move around in your mouth and not to swallow. Although I know lots of people who use essential oils regularly and take lemon internally in both water, and also in smoothies and juices. It’s a personal decision and one I think every person should research for themselves. I found this website really helpful: http://www.learningabouteos.com/
Hope it helps! Thanks for reading!
I only use Young Living EOs, their oils are therapeutic grade and can be taken internally. I would not recommend using other EOs especially if they are not 100% pure therapeutic grade. If yours say for external use only, I definitely wouldn’t put in my body!
I personally drink my morning glass of water with a drop of lemon (or other citrus EOs) from Young Living. Hope that helps and happy pulling 🙂
Hi Amy, Thanks for your message! I know essential oils are serious business for a lot of people. I have many, many friends who sell YL too 🙂 I agree that EOs they need to be labeled specificly for internal use (I personally don’t take them internally, I spit out the oil for oil pulling and then brush my teeth even though I use EOs that are high quality and marked for internal use) but “therapeutic grade” from my research is a marketing term. Yes you want high quality oils, cleared for internal use from a trusted supplier. I know YL and DoTerra like to fight it out over who is better– I personally found this website very helpful when making my decision about what brand (and how) to use EOs safely. It is written by a certified aromatherapist, trained in EOs, who also does 3rd party testing of many brands of oils (including YL and Doterra). While YL and DoTerra do well in some testing, they don’t in others (peppermint for example). What I found the most interesting is that there are many high quality oils out there. I hope you find this link interesting and helpful! http://www.learningabouteos.com/index.php/2013/10/13/3rd-party-test-results-for-peppermint-essential-oil/
I use a few drops of Oregano Oil in my coconut oil – it is awesome!! i do melt my oil before putting it in my mouth.
I am wondering if there have been studies done on the effect lemon has on the enamel of teeth.It seems like 10 or 20 minutes of swishing directly on the teeth would create issues. How long have you been using this method and how many others do you know who have?
I don’t do this more than 1x a week with lemon oil. The rest of the time I oil pull with coconut oil plain. Thanks for reading!
I’m a big fan of oil pulling with coconut oil and love the sensation of chewing it until it melts. Re the essential oils; I use two drops of wild orange oil in a big glass of water to gargle at the first sign of a sore throat or after dental work and that works treat!
I think I am going to try this, but have to ask a question…..when you brush your teeth after you Oil Pull….do you use your tooth paste? I just want to make sure I am doing this correctly! Thanks!
Hi Sheila, I usually use toothpaste, yes!
Just wondering why you wouldn’t want to swallow the oil. I’ve read that ingesting some coconut oil every day is very good for you and helps balance cholesterol… increases the HDLs (good fats).
Hi Pepper, Usually coconut oil is great for those things,however the coconut oil used for oil pulling will be full of bacteria from your mouth when you are finished so best to spit it out!
Hello, Thank you for the article. I am a coffee drinker (It will take time for me to give it up, I am not a morning person) should I pull before or after my cup of coffee? I also have medication that I take in the morning, Am I suppose to pull before or after I take my medication? Thank you so much!!!
I would do the oil pulling on an empty stomach before anything if you can!