What is Oil Pulling?

Oil Pulling

Today’s article is a very interesting topic which many of us are unaware of. The method of oil pulling is mentioned in the Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita where it has been called Kavala Gandusha or Kavala Graha. This Ayurvedic method is known to cure almost 30 diseases like headache, migraine, diabetes and asthma and even acne. Read more if you would like to incorporate oil pulling method as your health ritual.
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According to Wikipedia, “Oil pulling or oil swishing, in alternative medicine, is a procedure in which the practitioner rinses their mouth with approximately one tablespoon of ordinary cooking oil for 3-20 minutes, and then spits it out. This procedure is typically performed daily.Practitioners of oil pulling claim it is capable of improving oral and systemic health, including a benefit in conditions such as headaches, migraines, diabetes mellitus, asthma, and acne, as well as whitening teeth. It’s promoters claim it works by pulling out toxins, which are known as ama in Ayurvedic medicine, and thereby reducing inflammation.”

How do you perform oil pulling?

Oil pulling has to be done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach before intake of any liquids. One tablespoon of the oil of your choice is supposed to be poured in the mouth. The method involves swishing the oil in the mouth and care has to be taken not to swallow the oil. You can imagine using a mouthwash and also swish the oil through the teeth. Overtime little time, the oil in the mouth would start getting watery as the saliva mixes with the oil. The swishing action has to be continued but take care your jaw muscles do not get tightened sore in the process. The tongue can be used to swish the oil in the mouth.During the whole process the mouth and jaw must be relaxed.If your mouth is sore then you are putting too much pressure into it,keep your mouth relaxed.
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After 20 minutes or so, the oil would have become whitish, milkier and thinner in consistency due to the toxins it has pulled out. The oil becoming white and milky is the indication of the process being completed in the right way, so it should be ideally done up to this point. If you cannot swish the oil for 20 minutes, at least do it till the point of becoming milky.

At the end of the session, spit out the oil and ideally rinse your mouth with regular warm salt water. This will work as an antimicrobial mouth wash and also remove the toxins remnant in the mouth. This step is not mandatory but it is ideal.

The process can be done upto 20 minutes with practice. If initially you have the urge to swallow or spit the oil, do so and start again. Overtime when you master oil pulling naturally, you can do it as easily as brushing your teeth. This can be done everyday or few times a week depending upon how much detoxification you need.
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How does it work for your body?

The oil along with the mucous, pulls the bacteria and toxins from the body through the saliva. Ayurveda terms mucous as a poison which must be removed from the body.Surprisingly enough, the symptoms of the ailment might worsen initially and you might witness some new symptoms, this is indicative of the ailment being cured.If you are troubled with heightened symptoms, do not stop the oil pulling,you are on the right track. The movement of the oil in the oral cavity actually works for you. The roots of our teeth extend into the jawbone and cavities. These cavities are our body’s own defense mechanism, and the cleansing flow of this swishing mechanism works through the tubules of the teeth. So you are not pulling out toxins from the teeth only but through the connections of the tongue to the organs of the body, you are actually detoxifying the organs naturally.

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Which oil works best for oil pulling?

Sesame oil has been popularly considered the right oil. But virgin olive oil, sunflower oil or coconut oil can also be used for oil pulling.

Do not get disheartened at first if you do not see results, it works differently for each of us.Initially you will surely notice whiter teeth and later on much more health benefits by removing ailments. For healthier persons, the oil pulling method would serve as a prevention of any potential teeth and gum problems.

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17 thoughts on “What is Oil Pulling?

  1. Xcellent post neha *clap* i strt oil pulling recently with seseme oil 😀 nd i read somewhete that its also v good for curing bleeding gums *haan ji*

  2. Very informative post Neha.. Thanks… I have bad ache n I need to whiten my teeth as well..
    I am surely gona do this… Do I have to fill my mouth with oil or one spoon of oil is enough?

  3. Hey Neha.. very informative article. I never heard of this earlier… I am surely gonna try this .. Thanks!

  4. Hey neha… Grt post.. *clap* *clap* … U r a mine of information…. *jai ho* *jai ho* This seems so like our oil based face cleansers…. U rub it on ur dry face… It removes all makeup and dirt…. Then put a little water… It turns milky… Then u wash it off….. Xactly like that…. Good u told not to swallow the oil in the process… It might cause tummy upset

  5. I have tried oil pulling but I get so disgusted every time I do it that I stopped doing it. I guess I’d try to give it a go again. Suuuuppperrr post neha :))

  6. Havin oil in my mouth for 20 minutes is a lot of time…i cant even think of doing that..isnt there something tasty that we can put in and do the process 😮

  7. I started it some time back and was happy with results. Initially its difficult to do it for 5 minutes but gradually was able to touch the 20 minutes milestone 😛

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