Oil pulling involves swirling a tablespoon of coconut, olive, or sesame oil for 20 minutes in your mouth while simultaneously massaging gums and mouth to help extract toxins out of your system. According to practitioners of this practice, it reportedly helps clear away harmful agents through gums and mouth tissue.
However, its efficacy has yet to be scientifically demonstrated and may even result in lipoid pneumonia if oil from swishing is accidentally swallowed into the lungs.
1. Sore Throat
Oil pulling is a simple yet ancient oral detoxification practice which involves swishing a tablespoon of oil around in your mouth for 15-20 minutes to draw out bacteria that cause gum disease, bad breath and tooth decay while simultaneously flushing out toxins from your system via bloodstream elimination.
Ayurved medicine has used this practice for centuries to help manage the build-up of toxins in both mouth and body that may lead to health issues, and as part of daily oral care routine, alongside brushing and flossing.
Coconut oil is often chosen due to its viscosity and Lauric Acid content, making it more effective in clearing away harmful bacteria from your mouth. However, other oils such as sesame and olive can also be effective.
Oil pulling should ideally be performed on an empty stomach to facilitate faster release of toxins; however, even if that time of day does not work for you don’t worry as your body will still release toxins through your mouth.
Some individuals who begin oil pulling may report sore throat or sickness after starting, as this is a natural reaction as your body adjusts to eliminating toxins through this process. This is actually an indicator that oil pulling is working effectively; additionally it could help decrease how much oil gets swallowed in this way.
2. Diarrhea
Oil pulling was first developed as an oral health ritual and detoxification practice thousands of years ago by Ayurvedic practitioners, and is an ancient Ayurvedic practice to remove harmful toxins and bacteria from your mouth by swishing one tablespoon (tbsp) of cold-pressed sesame, sunflower or coconut oil around for 15-20 minutes while swishing. When finished rinsing off with water afterwards. Oil pulling is an inexpensive, straightforward way to reduce bad bacteria in your mouth!
Harmful bacteria found in the mouth can enter the body through our mouths, causing health issues like halitosis, gum disease and even heart disease. According to advocates of oil pulling, daily swishing with natural antibacterial oils is said to help eliminate harmful bacteria as part of detoxifying our system and aiding with body detoxification processes.
Your mouth is home to billions of living organisms, most notably bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa and parasites. While most are beneficial and contribute to keeping it healthy, some may not. Brushing or antiseptic mouth washes may only remove 60-70% of them while the rest will be cleared away naturally by your body’s own flora.
Oil pulling has gained in popularity over time as an adjunct or replacement to good oral hygiene, due to anecdotal reports that it can help with various health conditions. Unfortunately, not all oils used for oil pulling have been independently tested for purity; some contain toxic additives such as lead and mercury which could enter your bloodstream and have harmful impacts on other organs including your liver if consumed through this practice. It’s therefore vitally important that food-grade oils be used when engaging in oil pulling practices.
3. Nausea
Oil pulling is an ancient healing practice that has gained immense popularity as an holistic solution to many health ailments. But this ancient practice may come with unwanted side effects; Earth Clinic readers have reported experiencing headaches and digestive distress while oil pulling. Furthermore, some herbal medicinal products used may contain heavy metal traces (1).
Nausea is the sensation of wanting to expel something from one’s stomach, with an associated strong urge to vomit. Common causes include food poisoning, medication side-effects, stress and illness; but other triggers may include pregnancy-related nausea or chronic illness or infection.
However, nausea is generally considered a positive indicator that indicates your body is ridding itself of harmful toxins. While symptoms may last several days as the system rids itself of these impurities, they should eventually go away once all toxins have been eliminated from it. If the symptoms worsen over time it’s a sure sign that detoxification processes are working and should improve accordingly.
4. Headache
Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic detox technique in which one swishes about a tablespoon of organic, unrefined and cold-pressed sesame, sunflower or coconut oil in one’s mouth for 10 minutes each morning before breakfast – not swallowing as this contains harmful toxins and germs which should not enter one’s system.
Though plaque accumulation is normal, excessive levels can lead to gum disease and bad breath. Furthermore, bacteria can spread throughout your entire body through saliva; oil pulling works to remove these harmful microbes using an absorption process known as adsorption; every bacterium has an outer fat layer which adheres to oil molecules in your mouth’s soft tissues before being absorbed by oil which will then be expelled via your spitout.
Swishing the oil around in your mouth also removes mucous that causes headaches and allergies, while its anti-inflammatory properties help decrease swelling in your throat, sinuses and mouth.
Ancient Indian Ayurveda texts indicate that swishing oil can cure over 30 systemic illnesses, including diabetes, migraines, thrombosis, eczema and even cancer.
Though much of the evidence for oil pulling is anecdotal, many Earth Clinic readers have reported positive experiences from this ancient detox treatment. Many Earth Clinic readers report a variety of positive outcomes, including healthier mouths with whiter teeth and reduced bad breath as well as decreased gingivitis; others experienced improved sleep and an overall greater sense of well-being; some did experience side effects like swollen glands or lymph node enlargement – these side effects can be avoided by using quality oils such as extra-virgin coconut oil which has proven antibacterial and antiviral properties as well.
5. Fever
Oil pulling is a natural health practice involving using sesame, sunflower or olive oil to swish around in your mouth like a mouthwash, in an attempt to whiten teeth, improve gum health, eliminate bad breath and detox your body. Celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Miranda Kerr and Shailene Woodley use oil pulling regularly as part of their oral health maintenance practices; oil pulling should ideally be practiced first thing in the morning on an empty stomach before brushing teeth.
Although oil pulling may provide relief for various dental and health issues, there may be side effects. According to Earth Clinic, some common oil pulling detox symptoms include sore throat, nausea, diarrhea, chest pain, high blood pressure and headache. Some readers have even reported experiencing fever due to this ancient healing practice.
One reason that people may experience these symptoms may be trying to rid themselves of an accumulation of harmful bacteria in their mouth, which may be the source of plaque, gingivitis and yellowed teeth. By swishing oil through their mouth and killing off these harmful organisms they will prevent further illnesses infecting other parts of their bodies and spreading further than they initially intended.
Some have also claimed that oil pulling can help treat and cure various illnesses and disorders such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, cancer and even AIDS; the bacteria found in one’s mouth being an indicator of overall health and wellness.
As detox symptoms can be seen as a positive indicator that treatment is working, they’re usually followed by improvements in health. But if they worsen it’s essential not to abandon treatment altogether.
