Oil Pulling Debunked

About 10% of people in the world today are so scared of the dentist that they don’t ever bother to seek out dental care. This means that they are often living with cavities and dental problems that can be sometimes quite painful. In looking for alternatives to formal dental care, oil pulling has become a popular method for oral care. Not only can it whiten teeth, but there are claims that it can also cure diseases and prevent illness.

Is oil pulling a hoax that needs to be debunked? Or is there some truth to the claims that are being made about this oral care technique.

Let’s Address The Truth About Oil Pulling First

I’ve actually done oil pulling, using raw coconut oil, for 6 months. I followed the instructions, swishing the oil around in my mouth for about 10 minutes, twice per day. Here’s what I can say from that experience.

1. My spouse said that my breath was better, but that I often smelled like I’d rinsed my mouth out with shampoo.
2. My teeth were whiter than they had been before. Changes could be seen in about a month or so, but it wasn’t anything dramatic.
3. I still had to go to the dentist to have a cavity taken care of thanks to an infection that had spread down into the root of the tooth and created an abscess.

The extra levels of saliva in the mouth that are formed when you stick a tablespoon of coconut oil in there might just be as beneficial as the oil itself. What clinical research has been done on the subject of oil pulling seems to back up the results that I saw first-hand: some oral health markers can be improved a little bit, but it is far from being a medical cure.

Now Let’s Talk About The Hoax Of Oil Pulling

One of the primary reasons why oil pulling is promoted is that it is seen as a way to detoxify the body. By swishing the oil around in your mouth, you can help your body begin removing the harmful substances that can make you sick. The only problem is that your teeth and gums don’t do any of this for you. That’s the job of your liver. You might clean up some of the plaque that’s stuck between your teeth by oil pulling, but that’s the only real benefit that you’re going to see.

You still need to brush your teeth

Oil pulling does not clean off stuck-on food particles very well. If you’ve got a strand of meat stuck between your teeth or a kernel husk of popcorn stuck behind a tooth, then only some flossing and a toothbrush are going to help you out there. If you don’t remove these items, the stuck-on food will contribute to tooth decay because the oil pulling doesn’t contact the tooth where the food is at. What’s worse is that you can actually create teeth that are multi-colored when food is left to sit.

The bottom line of the oil pulling hoax is this: there really isn’t any harm in doing it if you like to do it. There are some potential small benefits that can come your way with frequent use. Just don’t replace oil pulling with brushing your teeth or expect that it will cure the common cold. Keep that attitude in place and you will have debunked the oil pulling hoax for good.