By simply swishing oil around your mouth for 20 minters, oil pulling can help whiten your teeth and improve oral health. -Mikaela MacKenzie, THE WEAL
Whiter teeth, healthier gums, and clearer skin are some of the promised results that have so many people jumping on the oil-pulling bandwagon
Oil-pulling, a practice that dates back thousands of years and has roots in Ayurvedic medicine, is steadily gaining popularity in the Western world by word-of-mouth testimonies from those who have tried it.
Ayurvedic medicine is considered to be the world’s oldest healthcare system and it is entirely holistic.
Its aim is to create harmony throughout the entire body.
Traditionally, sesame oil was used for oil-pulling, but people have used various other oils including sunflower oil, and olive oil.
Currently, according to the vast number of Internet posts on the subject, the most popular type of oil appears to be organic virgin coconut oil.
“Coconut oil has mild anti-inflammatory properties and it also stimulates the thyroid gland,” said Dr. Rajinder Rakhra, owner of Ayurved and Naturopath Clinic located in Kensington.
Oil-pulling involves swishing about a teaspoon of vegetable-based oil in your mouth for 20 minutes first thing in the morning, spitting it out into the garbage, rinsing the mouth with warm water, and then brushing your teeth.
The act of swishing the oil is supposed to ‘pull’ out bacteria and toxins from the mouth and blood stream, removing plaque and improving oral and overall health.
The 20-minute time guide is important because it’s just enough time for the bacteria and plaque to be removed but not long enough for the body to resorb any toxins from the now bacteria-filled oil.
Rakhra, who is from the Punjab region of India, has practiced Ayurvedic and Naturopathic medicine since 1964, said that Ayurveda uses many types of oils to aid in the detoxification of the body.
He said that he has not had many clients specifically ask about oil-pulling, but that detox treatments that utilize oils are very popular with Westerners.
Rakhra himself has not tried oil-pulling and was not quick to hail its praises like so many others have.
“It’s like a fad diet,” he said.
Brittany Zeer, 25, has first-hand experience with the health trend and is very happy with her results so far.
Zeer, who works as a legal assistant and part-time yoga instructor, has been oil-pulling for six months.
“One of the biggest benefits I found was that it cleared up my acne almost overnight,” she said.
Zeer caught wind of the trend from a friend’s post on the social networking site Facebook.
Her friend had experienced whiter and smoother teeth, and clearer skin. Zeer did attain similar results after trying it herself, with some unexpected ones.
“I have TMJ pain (temporomandibular joint) and it helps a lot,” she said.
Zeer attributed the easing of her chronic jaw pain to her newfound routine.
She said that she initially found the 20 minutes of swishing quite challenging, but soon got used to it.
She’s not as diligent with her regime as she was six months ago.
Zeer was oil-pulling once a day and now she does it anywhere from twice a week to a couple of times a month.
She uses it as maintenance, saying that if she notices an acne breakout, she will oil- pull and see results soon after.
Zeer does admit that family and friends think her practice is “weird,” but said that the benefits are worth the strange looks she gets from her boyfriend.
“I feel refreshed after I do it,” she said.
The only downside Zeer has noted is that one must be careful not to spit the coconut oil into the sink, as it hardens at room temperature and can clog drains over time.
Many experiences with oil-pulling similar to Zeer’s can be found with a quick search on the Internet.
Upon entering oil-pulling into a web browser, a plethora of links to blogs, news articles, and personal testimonials addressing the topic are presented.
The popular healthy lifestyle blog Wellness Mama has a post on oil-pulling that has garnered nearly 400 comments.
The comments range from those listing the many health benefits that they’ve experienced from oil pulling, to those who are curious as to how people can continuously swish oil in their mouth for 20 minutes.
In addition to personal testimonies, there have also been some scientific studies purporting the benefits of oil pulling, but the Canadian Dental Association is still skeptical, saying that “we sense oil pulling won’t do any harm, [but] we’re not convinced there are any particular benefits to it.”