While it may appear weird, oil pulling has been demonstrated to provide various health benefits, ranging from improved oral hygiene to decreased inflammation. In this post, we’ll look at the benefits of oil pulling and how to include it in your daily routine.

Are you properly maintaining your dental hygiene?

You may brush or floss your teeth and scrape your tongue. It is a daily chore, and undoubtedly everyone follows it. However, only a few give importance to oil pulling, which is slightly different from water use.

You may be curious to learn more because you have heard of oil pulling but must learn how to carry it out properly.

Ayurveda advises oil pulling, also known as gandusha kriya, as a morning ritual to remove microorganisms from the mouth and enhance dental health and cleanliness. Oil pulling, which involves holding a comfortable amount of oil in the mouth and swishing or drawing it through the teeth, along the tongue, and around the gums, was formerly known as Kavala.

Instead of swishing or gargling, gandusha fills the mouth with oil and holds it there. Both techniques provide health advantages beyond maintaining a clean mouth, such as enhancing overall health and fortifying the jaws and muscles of the oral cavity.

What Takes place during oil-pulling therapy?

The mouth has over 600 different types of bacteria. While some bacteria benefit your dental health and contribute to a healthy microbiome, the rest are harmful and cause difficulties such as tooth decay, foul breath, bleeding gums, etc.

Oil pulling eliminates these germs through a simple phenomenon. The unicellular bacteria are surrounded by a layer of lipids that adheres to the lipid framework of the cell.

How to Perform an Oil Pulling?

Here are a few basic instructions on how to perform oil pulling: This process helps stimulate the appetite and improve the sense of taste. Hence, consuming it in the morning, as soon as you get up, and on an empty stomach is ideal.

• The first step is to put one tablespoon of oil in your mouth.
• Swirl the oil around both sides of the mouth, in front, behind, and through the teeth as you draw it.
• Keep going for 15–20 minutes or until the oil has thinned out and turned yellowish. (For optimal benefits, attempt to swish for at least 5 minutes first.)
• To prevent clogging the drain, spit the oil into the garbage or toilet rather than down it. Never ingest the oil.
• Finally, rinse your mouth with warm water.

Benefits of oil pulling:

Maintains healthy gums and teeth

Your teeth and gums must have a healthy oral microbiome, which requires regular maintenance. In your mouth, there is a type of bacteria called Streptococcus mutans, one of the most frequent causes of tooth decay. Daily oil pulling for 10 to 15 minutes can help lower the amount of S. mutans in your mouth and shield you against dental issues.

It can result in fresher breath, healthier gums, and a brighter smile. Additionally, it has been shown to reduce the risk of cavities and gum disease, making it a great addition to any oral hygiene routine.

Provides a clean breath

There are numerous causes of bad breath or halitosis. One of these causes is a byproduct of bacteria. In addition to making you feel embarrassed, bad breath can harm your interpersonal relationships. Sulfur-producing bacteria that live in tiny grooves on the tongue and the back of the throat generate bad breath. You can eliminate these bacteria in your mouth by oil pulling and gargling, giving you fresh and odourless breath. Tongue scraping is also said to eliminate many of these bacteria and is the source of the malodor.

Promotes Sinus health

There is some anecdotal evidence that oil pulling improves sinus health, although there is little clinical research in this field. Considering its relation to the oral cavity, preserving a healthy bacterial balance in the mouth would impact nearby tissues.

Additionally, it is supposed to improve blood flow to the oral tissues, possibly supplying lymph and nutrients to the sinus tissue.

Supports detoxification

You can find evidence of the correlation between oral hygiene and overall well-being. The harmful bacteria that thrive in your mouth eventually enter your body with food, causing health complications and even life-threatening inflammation in the cardiac system.
Doing it daily helps eliminate harmful bacteria from your mouth, assisting your body’s natural detoxification process.

Reduces inflammation in the body

In addition to improving oral health, oil pulling has anti-inflammatory effects on the body. Inflammation can trigger various health problems, including heart disease, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. It can help reduce markers of inflammation in the body, decreasing the risk of these conditions. It may be due to the antimicrobial properties of the oils used, which can help fight off harmful bacteria and viruses that contribute to inflammation.

Boosts the immune system

Oil pulling has been shown to have immune-boosting effects on the body. The mouth is a gateway to the rest of the body, and harmful bacteria in the mouth can lead to infections and other health problems. By removing these harmful bacteria through oil pulling, the immune system is better able to function and fight off illness. Additionally, some of the oils used in oil pulling, such as coconut oil, contain lauric acid, which possess antimicrobial and antiviral properties that can further support immune health.

Improves skin health

In addition to its immune-boosting effects, oil pulling also stimulates skin health. It is because the oils used in oil pulling can help moisturize and nourish the skin, by preventing fine lines and wrinkles. Additionally, oil pulling can help reduce inflammation in the body, which can contribute to skin problems like acne and eczema. By reducing inflammation, oil pulling can help promote clearer, healthier skin.

Promotes overall wellness

Oil pulling is a natural remedy that has been shown to provide numerous benefits for the body. In addition to boosting immunity and reducing inflammation, oil pulling can improve oral health, promote healthy skin, and even aid digestion. Incorporating oil into your daily routine can promote overall wellness and improve your overall health and well-being.

Some of the oils that you can use for oil pulling are:

Coconut oil

Because of its high lauric acid concentration, coconut oil has excellent antibacterial qualities, making it a popular candidate for oil-pulling therapy. It is widely available throughout the country.

Arimedadi Thailam

It is ideal for oil pulling because it is mixed with various herbs and oils for oral health advantages. It eliminates dangerous germs from the mouth’s soft tissues and avoids bleeding gums, tooth decay, foul breath, and tooth hypersensitivity. You can purchase it from the Kerala Ayurveda store.

Sesame oil

Sesame oil, the king of herbal oils, is an excellent choice for oil pulling. It aids in the elimination of foul breath as well as the prevention of tooth decay and gum bleeding. Swallowing sesame oil can also help strengthen your jaw and gums.

Daily Swish Oil

Banyan’s Daily Swish oil was developed primarily to improve the oil-pulling experience. It uses Ayurvedic principles and mixes sesame and coconut oils with guduchi and fennel, two Ayurvedic herbs.

Additionally, Daily Swish offers the three fruits that make up the well-known Ayurvedic remedy Triphala. Although Triphala is recognized as a digestive aid, it is extensively used in Ayurveda for increasing oral cleanliness. For example, Triphala powder is clinically proven to work as a mouthwash to support healthy teeth and gums and reduce plaque.