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The Benefits of Oil Pulling

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I know, oil pulling sounds so odd, doesn’t it? It’s easy to do though, and an effective way to reduce our toxic load. I started oil pulling a while ago and find it one of the easiest ways to do a little detox.
I know, Oil Pulling sounds so odd, doesn’t it? It’s easy to do though, and an effective way to reduce our toxic load. I started oil pulling a while ago and find it one of the easiest ways to do a little detox.

Why should you oil pull? It’s an age-old Ayurvedic method that helps draw out toxins (mercury, anesthetics, bacteria, etc.) in the mouth and tissues. As you swish the oil around in your mouth “the oil absorbs lipophilic (fat-loving) toxic chemicals, metals and microbes from the oral mucosa, it changes color from golden to white and becomes thinner in consistency…During this time, lipophilic chemicals in the oral mucosa, as well as those circulating in the blood vessels traveling through the oral mucosa, are absorbed into this sesame oil. Since the average circulating time — or time required for the blood to completely circulate from the head to the toes — is approximately one minute, this oral therapy also helps absorb toxic chemicals traveling in the blood from other parts of the body.” Dr. Williams.

I’ve read about many people using coconut oil, but from my own reading it seems that traditional, unrefined sesame oil is a better choice. Dr. Williams, author of Radical Medicine, says she hasn’t found coconut oil to be as effective. “Additionally, the natural lecithin content and high levels of oleic, linoleic and linolenic oils in sesame oil render it particularly nutritive to nearby brain cells and nerves.”

How to Oil Pull:

  1. Take one teaspoon of unrefined, organic sesame oil and put it in your mouth.
  2. Swish, chew and gargle for 3-10 minutes.
  3. Spit it out.
  4. Brush your teeth with sea salt and baking soda. Done!

How Often Should You Oil Pull? A few times a week is a good place to start. It can be especially beneficial to oil pull after a dentist appointment, so you can rid the body of any chemicals or medications you were exposed to. I’ve read some say it helps whiten the teeth, and I’ve experienced this, but I couldn’t find any solid literature on this topic. I prefer to oil pull in the morning when I’m blow-drying my hair. I can get pretty and detox at the same time!

If you’re interested in other simple ways to detox at home, I created a new page for you titled, “Health and Detox“. This a new section on the blog that I’ll be adding to weekly. If there are any specific topics you’d like for me to cover, please leave your suggestions in the comments below.

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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

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36 Comments

    • Dr. Williams, who I was quoting in the post, says that in her testing she's found sesame oil to perform the best. As an added benefit, I think it tastes better for swishing! :)

    • Oops! Sorry about that! The link has been corrected, and it should have been sesame seed oil.

  3. Thanks for explaining! I've read a lot about this lately and saw that you could use just about any oil. But if you're going to do it, might as well do it correctly! I also have found people often advocating for around 20 min, but the 3-10 minutes you've posted is so much more doable for me!

  4. I've been considering doing this for a while now but I have read that if you have a crown it might not be a good idea. Any thoughts?

  5. Curious as to your thoughts on antibotics - I rarely get sick and have been hit very hard with a sinus infection as well as bronchitis...I felt bad enough that I went to a doctor (after a week of trying the homeopathic remedies that I am familiar with - relatively new to working more toward organic/healthy foods/life), and I am taking the drugs and not feeling much better. Its been about 10 days now and I am getting pretty discouraged and desperate. Loving your blog :)

    • I'm sorry to hear of your health struggles. If you've been taking antibiotics for more than 10 days without feeling better there might be a deeper issue at hand. I would consult with a nutritionist, Naturopath or DO to see what remedies or protocol you could follow to heal your system. My nutritionist's office does phone and Skype sessions for those who don't live in the area: www.biodynamicwellness.com

    • for what it's worth - we sometimes open a probiotic capsule and take via a spoon at bedtime for a few nights for sinus issues/concerns

      • Use a neti pot, if you have one. I often clean my nasal passages with warm water with either salt or a probiotic. It can sting pretty badly but the relief is almost immediate. I do this anytime my sinuses feel 'clogged' or it feels 'tight' above my eyes/eyebrows. I have avoided a sinus headache for years this way...

  6. Thanks for this informative explanation. I've heard friends talk about oil pulling but didn't know the details of how to. One question, if you do this first thing on the morning, should you brush your teeth first or after?

  7. I like the idea of it being for 3-10 minutes, rather than 20... it becomes a lot more appealing as I was doing it for 20 minutes and the novelty quickly wore off. I was using coconut oil and found the taste to be doable but will give sesame oil a go. Thanks for the explanation.

  8. Good to hear that 15-20 min. isn't necessary. Good Morning America had a segment on it a few days ago and their test person made a big fuss over how awful it was. She had used coconut oil. Folks should do more complete research. I appreciate the simplicity of this regimen and am looking forward to what the hygenist has to see in a couple of weeks. Thanks!

  9. Hello, I'm curious to find out whether this could somehow affect your thyroid and digestion- I did this for about 2 weeks and after about a week I started to get indigestion/ symptoms Of low acid.. It might be a coincidence, but I would be curious to find out of some of the toxins being pulled out could have a negative effect on thyroid. Any thoughts?

  10. Thanks for this tip. I also was using coconut oil for 15 minutes - too long and didn't seem effective, so I'll give sesame oil a try for 10 min. In future posts, could you address help for daily elimination? Thanks!

  11. Did you find any info or have any concerning dental work. I have several crowns and my husband has several bridges and implants. Would oil pulling affect them in any way? Also I have read not to spit the oil into the sink or the toilet because, of course, it will clog up the drain. Any truth to this that you know of?

  13. Another article I read specified that it works best when done first thing in the morning, and before you have anything to eat or drink, which isn't so practical for me. Did you come across anything like this?

    • I haven't come across that information. I have been oil pulling in the morning after I've eaten and have seen positive results.

  14. Thanks so much Carrie for the great info on pulling. I look forward to sharing this with a few friends. I like a few other who commented thought that oil pulling took between 15-20 minutes of "Swishing and chewing" the oil to really see the benefits. I am also happy to see the last bit about brushing with sea salt and baking soda. Multitasking is always a great time saver. Thanks again so much for sharing this!

  15. Since it's pulling heavy metals out of your system, is this safe to do when a person has silver (mercury) fillings in their teeth?

  16. How do you dispose of the oil? Do you spit it down the drain? Any problems with clogs? Or spit it in a trash can??

    • Spitting it in the trash is best, so you don't run the risk of clogging any pipes (even though sesame oil doesn't turn solid even when refrigerated).

  17. I saw an interview of a nutritionist online who insisted that the most effective/beneficial method is swishing every day with coconut oil for 20 minutes for six weeks straight. Sesame oil is far more expensive than coconut oil. What benefits have you noticed with the sesame oil? LavendulaLady raised an interesting concern, the safety of the regimen when you have mercury fillings (mine are from childhood but I understand not all dentists are qualified to remove and replace them, so until then?!). Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

    • Dr. Williams (the link to her book is in the post) is a brilliant doctor and she has seen more benefit from sesame oil and so she recommends it over coconut. I haven't compared the two, but have had great success with sesame oil. I had found a reputable source saying oil pulling with amalgam fillings is OK, but I can't seem to find the source. Let me look some more and I'll get back to you. Thanks!

      • Thanks for the info. I will definitely check out Dr. Williams' book. Shortly after posting, I read on another site that the sesame oil is recommended over the coconut oil. Nevertheless, an individual on a forum said that one of his old mercury fillings deteriorated and fell out after doing the oil pulling. While he wasn't sure if it was coincidental or not - apparently he hadn't experienced any problem prior to the oil pulling - he felt the benefits of the regimen outweighed this issue. I suppose that it's possible the oil pulling would still be protective of and beneficial to a tooth even if the filling disintegrates or falls out, but I'd rather hear from an expert on that first.

  18. Since starting this my husband reports he is feeling more congested, feels mucous in the back of his throat and feels he is starting to loose his voice. Have you heard of this happening? He wasn't sick before and doesn't have allergies, etc.

    • I haven't heard of that, but from my understanding when the body gets congested, creates mucous or the throat begins to swell, this is the body's way of detoxing (I watched a fascinating documentary about this called "The Body" and it shows how the body will create mucous or cause the throat to swell to get rid of bacteria, viruses or other foreign things that don't belong. Very interesting!). It could be that his body is getting rid of toxins.

      • Thank you. Also curious why you only recommend 3-10 minutes? Other sites I have read say to do for 20 minutes.

  19. I'm 53 years old and just got braces! Do you know if it would be harmful to the braces if I were to do this? Thank you for all your info! Just found your site and love it!

  20. Oil pulling is a great way to achieve the same benefits as when using Peridex or Listerine. However, literature and studies show that oil pulling for 20min is needed to achieve the many oral health benefits. Also, one study found that unrefined sesame oil yielded greater results when compared with other unrefined oils.

  21. I was wondering if you have ever heard whether there are any reasons to avoid oil pulling if you are breastfeeding?And as for multitasking - it can be dine while showering! :-)

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