Hello Hopeful...

I just made the decision to try this yesterday. So today is going to be my first day. If you go to google and type in "oil pulling" there is a wealth of information to help you decide if it's right for you. In the meantime, here is some informative info I read (Oh, & FYI-- I read somewhere else that the purpose of an empty stomach is to avoid vomitting):


Oil pulling or oil swishing, in alternative medicine, is a procedure that involves swishing oil in the mouth for oral and systemic health benefits. It is mentioned in the Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita where it is called Kavala Gandoosha / Kavala Graha and is claimed to cure about 30 systemic diseases ranging from headache, migraine to diabetes and asthma.

Procedure

The practitioner rinses their mouth with approximately one tablespoon of oil (sesame and sunflower oils are the most recommended) for 15−20 minutes on an empty stomach (preferably first thing in the morning, before eating/drinking), then spits it out.[1] This procedure is typically performed daily.[2] The oil is put in the mouth, with chin tilted up, and slowly swished, sucked, chomped and pulled through the teeth. The oil changes from yellow and oily consistency to a thin, white foam before spitting out. The mouth is rinsed out well after the procedure



Precautions

1. Oil should not be swallowed or gargled.
2. Oil pulling should be attempted only on empty stomach to avoid vomiting.
3. No scientific evidence shows anything being forced/pulled from the body by "oil pulling." Saliva is the watery and usually frothy substance produced in the mouths of humans and most other animals. Saliva is produced in and secreted from the salivary glands. Human saliva is 98% water, which carries electrolytes, mucus, antibacterial compounds and various enzymes. Enzymes begin the digestion process, breaking down some starch and fat at the molecular level allowing some sublingual absorption through the tongue. Further down in the stomach, hydrochloric acid is released which helps to lower the pH of the stomach contents so that it can disable any pathogenic bacteria or viruses and further breakdown the cell wall of the food ingested so that the molecules can be more utilized by the body.



Oil Pulling claims a lot of benefits[5]. Some of the theories on how it works are[4]:
1. The tongue is an indicator of what is going on in the body. By examining the tongue and its color, it is proposed to be able to pass a judgment on the condition of the patient and the nature of the ailment. Just as the skin is known as a very good organ for excreting waste and toxins, it is claimed that the tongue also is a key organ in eliminating toxins from the body. According to this life science, the tongue is mapped by organ-locations — that is, each section of the tongue is connected to the kidneys, lungs, spleen, liver, heart, pancreas, small intestines, stomach, colon, and spine. Oil swishing eliminates toxins from the whole body through the tongue.



Sublingual absorption through the tongue is more efficient and faster in some cases. Some hormone replacement therapy products and vitamin supplement products take advantage of this method. [6] Trace amounts of vitamins, minerals, hormones and other chemicals in the oil might be absorbed into the body, and circulated to various body parts, through the tongue. Phyto-chemicals in oil and oil seeds have been shown to reduce cholesterol, fight cancer, treat hormone related imbalance like acne and improve the mood. The List of phytochemicals and foods in which they are prominent include Phytoestrogens and Phytosterol in soybean, sesame oil, sunflower seeds.

I think I'm gonna try it over the summer near July, because I don't want the bad effects during school. Thanks oh and 2 more questions:
-I have braces so If i do OPing, would it make it whiter? Because then i wouldn't do it because it would leave marks where my brackets were because it wouldn't be as white.
-can i buy small bottles of sunflower/sesame oil (i live in OR)? I don't want that much just in case it doesn't work because my family uses vegetable oil/olive oil when cooking.

Hi Hoping...

I am not sure about the braces though I think it might be something to wait for if you have braces.

If you can't fins the oils in the regular store, you can try an asian food market, a greek food market, or organic/health food market.

My son oil pulls every day and he has braces. I'm not sure, but i think if there is discolouration from the brackets that it should even out after a few oil pulls after the braces are removed. His dentist is so surprised at how clean his braces are, and I am sure this is due to oil pulling as he is not very careful about cleaning his teeth. He gets his braces removed in 2 months so I will post then and let everyone know the outcome.

Hopeful,

Other oils can work, but untoasted sesame and sunflower are recommended for beginners for their mild flavor. Olive oil is OK, so is coconut -- my favorite. I also like untoasted walnut.

Swallowing is not recommended because OP pulls bacteria out of the oral cavity (mouth). If you swallow at the beginning of the 20 minutes, no problem. But if you swallow at the end, you will be ingesting the bacteria removed from your mouth qne your body will then have to eliminated in another way.

The only side effect I know about is accidently sneezing on your keyboard -- don't try it.

kebod

Akua001,

It can be heartbreaking for a parent to see that their child has KP and realize it is probably hereditary. I am thinking that once a parent finds a treatment to diminish KP, then the same treatment will work for their children, as they most likely have the same cause. This offers hope for our children and a motive for parents to continue searching remedies until they find one that works for them.

I have read that children in India as young as 5 years old do oil pulling. This remedy may help a lot of children without risks of side effects.

Thanks for posting.

Love,
Mom

LDRJA,

Thank you for posting this detailed description of oil pulling. It will help many first time OPers. All I would add to it is that if one tablespoon seems like too much at first, start with 1 or 2 teaspoons and gradually increase the amount. Also, if 20 minutes seems too long, do it for just 5-10 minutes, and gradually increase the length of time. I use ony 2 teaspoons of oil, because 1 tablespoon just seems too much to hold.

You are right that no scientific evidence shows anything being pulled from the mouth, but that may be due to the fact that there has been no research on oil pulling. Plaque is caused by bacteria. Plaque is lessened by a great degree when you do oil pulling, therefore, oil pulling decreases bacteria. That is my logic for saying that oil pulling pulls bacteria from the mouth. Bacteria also causes bad breath, coated tongue and gingivitus (gum disease). All are healed or diminished by oil pulling, as reported by numerous posts on the Cure Zone Oil Pulling Forum.

About braces... because OP whitens teeth, the enamel covered by the braces does not whiten. When the braces are removed, and if you continue with OP, the teeth will quickly become evenly whitened. There is no other reported problem with wearing braces while you OP. In fact, it helps by keeping the braces clean.

Everybody, I love hearing from you! Please keep posting and keep on pulling!

kebod

I would like to know if sunflower cooking oil is adecuate for oil pulling, 'cause I live in Colombia, and I don't have a way to know if this oil is cold pressed. The bottle only says 100% Pure Sunflower Oil. Would this work?

Cata,

If you don't have a health/vitamin store where you can buy expeller pressed or cold pressed oil, cooking oil is OK. It won't have all the nutrients in it that healthier oil has, but it will still help you. I'm glad you are going to try OP. Let us know what you think of it.

kebod

Well Kebod, I actually started oil pulling with this kind of oil like 2 weeks ago, and my KP is still the same, but I used to have a lot of trouble falling asleep, and now is a lot easier, I get sleepy much ealier, not every night but still. It also has helped me with the headaches that I get almost everyday, now is not as often... I hope that my skin improves too. I'll keep you guys posted. THANX!!!!!!!!!

If nothing else, I have found OP-ing relaxing, which really surprised me. I gagged a little the first time, but have been doing it for about a week now. No huge difference in the KP yet, but maybe less new ones...?? I think overall my skin is softer, though. The ahrdest thing for me so far is if I have to cough when OP-ing (yikes) and I miss my coffee first thing in the morning lol Other than that, no negatives yet...

__________________
~Natalie

Hi Kebod and everyone,

This is my first time on the forums. I first noticed I had KP when I was in high school. I'm now 35 years old and I would like to try oil pulling as a remedy.

Since I live in the Philippines, coconut oil (virgin coconut oil especially) is very much available anywhere and inexpensively. Would it be as good as sunflower or sesame oil?

Cata,

I hope you give OP at least a month to see if it can help your KP. A lot of people on the Cure Zone Forum report that it helps with sleeping and headaches. I'm so glad you are getting these benefits from OP.

gnatilly,

Are you coughing up phlegm during the oil pulling? Let us know of any further changes.

Joga,

Coconut oil is very good for oil pulling. It is my favorite to use (my other favorite is untoasted sesame oil). Try to find unbleached, undeoderized coconut oil. Organic is best.

Keep in touch, everyone!

kebod

ran out of sesame oil, so i am switching to cocnout oil for a while. Will see if i notice any differences.