The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Ganglion Cyst
Posted by Swanny (Swansea, West Glamorgan, United Kingdom) on 05/08/2010
★★★★★
I started Oil pulling with coconut oil about three weeks ago, mainly for receding gums. I haven't actually noticed any improvement yet there, although my teeth are now really white and my gums do look nice and pink, but the main thing I wanted to say was that my unsightly ganglion cyst (with which I have suffered for many,many years) has vanished. Previously I had been bashing it with a bible to get rid (I've also tried red clay mud and huge quantities of ACV with tumeric that made me quite ill).I have been putting cocnut oil in my daily porridge instead of butter (only about 1 tsp per day), and it's obviously done the business.
Well pleased.
Sinus Headaches
Posted by Chattvol (Cos, Colorado) on 04/27/2010
★★★★★
I've been Oil pulling for about 5 weeks with coconut oil. I use about 2 teaspoons in the morning and let it melt in my mouth. I've worked my way up to 17 minutes in the mouth. The most immediate change is I no longer suffer from almost daily sinus headaches. My teeth feel cleaner but unsure if they are actually whiter. My skin feels not as dry. Just the change in my sinuses is enough for me to continue. Do you guys change your oil every few months and do you oil pull more than 1x per day? Thanks
Triggered Keratosis Pilaris
Posted by Calmfire (New York, Ny, Usa) on 03/30/2010
BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
Hi all!
I have been oil pulling for about 2 weeks now. Two times a day, a tablespoon at a time. I have been using virgin coconut oil. My teeth do feel cleaner, they don't look whiter yet, but I'm hoping that that will come. My gums no longer bleed when I floss, yay! I have experienced some side effects. I developed a sore on my gums about two days into it, but it went away. And then about a week into it, I developed a really bumpy, tender and itchy rash on my forearms. It didn't occur to me that this might be from oil pulling because I am using new bed sheets, but I thought to google it tonight and apparently I'm not the only one who has developed the same type of rash from pulling with virgin coconut oil...I think that it's called Keratosis Pilaris. Their thoughts are that it might be yeast being pushed out of the body. I'm treating the rash on my arms with coconut oil and cortizone right now...will update if anything else happens.
Dental Issues
Posted by Atul (Mumbai, Maharashtra, India) on 03/11/2010
★★★★★
Hi, I'd like to provide some background info first. My grandmother died at 90, all her teeth were intact and she never visited a dentist in her life. My father at 65, one tooth had to be removed otherwise no dental work. Both of them rubbed a mixture of mustard (rapeseed) oil and white rock salt on their gums. Besides this like all hygenic Indians they rinsed their mouth after every meal. This meant the the tiny bits and pieces at breakfast seldom rotted till night.
I on the other hand have had severe problems with teeth and gums. I took to the grandmas recipe, but found my gums were feeling inflammed so I stopped it.
I tried OP using sesame oil and have found that it does not irritate my gums.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Maria (Clarkesville, Georgia, Usa) on 02/27/2010
★★★★★
Hi there,
I used to use triple refined sunflower oil to oil pull with outstanding results for about 2 years. I recently moved to the US and couldn't find sunflower oil at the grocery store so I tried triple refined Peanut oil instead. I read one of the posts that said that peanut oil was dangerous since mold often grows on the peanuts that are used to make the oil. Is this true? I must say the quality of the peanut oil is really good and it has a clean, neutral taste.
Also, I quit oil pulling for about 3 months last year and all the symptoms of my ailments like stiff joints, yellow stained teets etc, returned 10 times more intense than before. So, just remember, once you start oil pulling, there is no turning back!
Kind regards,
Maria
Broad Benefits
Posted by David (Pasadena, Ca) on 04/02/2011
I highly doubt that all these testimonials are "placebo effect, " especially since so many of them had already tried other remedies without success (why didn't they have a placebo effect with those?). I've just started this treatment (yesterday), so I can't say anything about its effectiveness. But I can say that everything I've read says at least 10 and more often 15-20 minutes. If you've been doing it 4 minutes, you may not be getting any significant therapeutic effect (like gargling with Listerine for 15 seconds won't kill bacteria while 30 seconds will). As far as "toxins reabsorbing"--that sounds a little farfetched to me--either the oil "pulls" them out or it doesn't. It can't pull them out and then let them go back in, can it? Anyway, I don't think ayurvedic medicine says anything about this idea of reabsorption--maybe if you really overdid it, but I think you should try 15 minutes 2x a day before you decide whether it works for you or not.
Skin
Posted by Craig (Round Lake, Il) on 02/02/2010
★★★★★
I just started (4 Days)the 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in the morning, with diabetes the first thing I notice is that my skin became smooth like I have been putting lotion on. No longer dry and scaly, I think it is the coconut oil.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Paige (New York, United States) on 12/25/2009
★★★★★
I was using organic toasted sesame oil unrefined and I've stopped having lower back pain, I was suffering from a chronic muscle spasm that has stopped and I dont recall ever having headaches since I started oil pulling or having trouble with my vision, when I would read I see the words do this weird thing, I dont know how to explain but when I concentrate the words seem to do this 3d'ish thing its weird its like the words pop out of the background and it would happen more when im tired out but no more.
Thank You So Much For Your Time. Paige
Broad Benefits
Posted by Jagadeesh (Bangalore, India, Karnataka, India) on 12/23/2009
★★★★★
I have been doing oil pulling for 3 days now and I feel freshness. It seems to be helping in my general conditions too.
Smoking Cough
Posted by Stephen (London, UK) on 11/16/2009
Oil Pulling Causing Side Effects After 5 Months
I am really confused, i have been oil pulling for almost 10 months now, once a day i morning mostly sunflower and recently a few with olive oil. About 5 months ago every time i spat out, i did one big cough and bought up phlegm, directly after spitting one big cough. Then about two months ago the cough developed to an hour, once after spittiong out, then later in the day for an hour. That has since got more regular, not worst, but just coughing a lot up.
Also shortly since starting op, i've got some swellings on neck under jaw, no pain just slight swelling.
I am a smoker (been smoking packet a day for 30 yrs), but i'd never been a cougher till recently. i went to the dr. with my 2 months coughing, quick chest examination they said probably a virus. Seemed nothing wrong with lungs. I think it is the op'ing bringing up and clearing my mucus. is that possible.?
I also daily have a salad dressing which has ACV and Turmeric and Cayenne.
Side Effects
Posted by Charles (Jacksonville, Fl) on 10/25/2009
I got the same symptoms from an inner ear infection, called otitus media. I laid on my back and hung my head over the side of the bed, and filled up my sinuses with 50% H2O2 and Distilled Water. When sinuses are filled the rest will go to the inner ear. was cured in two days...
Side Effects
Posted by Ted (Bangkok, Thailand) on 11/01/2009 392 posts
Side effects of oil pulling... I don't believe in regular oil pulling. I believe in a balance between oil pulling and pulling oil. The pulling oil is the taking of granulated lecithin to reduce excessive oil buildup in the body. The other thing is some people with hypothyroid may have low iodine levels, in which case 1-2 drops of lugols solution and 1-2 drops of SSKI (potassium iodide), in a cup of warm water or even a liter of water should resolve some hypothyroid in about month. It helps to take 1000 mg of vitamin C for the body to better utilize the iodine, and vice versa.
Sinus Infections
Posted by Monij (St. Louis, Mo) on 10/23/2009
★★★★★
I was miserable last night with an obvious sinus infection and I decided to google natural cures for it and found this wonderful website. I tried the oil pulling technique with extra virgin olive oil and about 35-45 minutes later, the mucous began breaking up and I was able to cough it up and blow my nose! I've been telling everyone about it. Thanks so much!
Chronic Sinusitis
Posted by Cecelia (Kingston, Jamaica, W.I.) on 09/16/2009
★★★★★
I was introduced to oil pulling by a friend who had tried it. I have been doing OP with CO for approximately 4 weeks now. I use 1 tbsp first thing in the mornings only for 15 mins, sometimes 30 mins and gently swish it around. When I spit it out it appears almost greeseless and like mother's milk. The first thing I noticed that I had gum bleeding which lasted for roughly one week and I always want to spit out a thick phlegm which would continue for about half an hr. On only a few occasions, I vomited phlegm after swishing a small amount mucus also drained from my nose. I can now feel air passing through my nasal passage which I cannot remember when I used to experience that and my sense of smell which was hardly functional is extremely alert. I have been diagnosed with sinusitis for some 30 years. I sleep much more easily and my energy level has also increased moderatly.
Cece
Migraines
Posted by Jesse (Richmond Hill, On, Canada) on 12/06/2009
Lily, it sounds that you have the same symptom of headache as I had two years ago. My life was so blighted by this problem then. And it took me almost 10 years to find out that the real culprit of my headaches was chronic sinusitis. And I believe many people who were suffering from unknown headaches are caused by the the same problem. My solution is to take probiotics. Try it and see how it goes. It is possible that oil pulling could be used as a long term therapy in treating the chronic sinusitis problem, however, there is no convincing evidence found on this site and that is what I am trying to find out.
Ear Infection
Posted by Rnh (Mississauga, Ontario Canada) on 08/10/2009
★★★★★
I have a very bad outer ear infection for about two years now very sore and tender. I tried OP for the first time using cold pressed Sesame oil. In about 3 pulls my ear infection cleared up the next morning AMAZING getting bumps on my arms guess it is the toxins being flushed out. thanks for a wonderful site.
Keratosis Pilaris
Posted by Carlsbad (San Diego, Ca) on 08/09/2009
★★★★★
Hi. This is my third week of oil pulling, and the oddest thing has happened. I've had ingrown hairs for years. Suddenly when I woke up this morning, those ingrown hairs were no longer hidden beneath my skin. I pulled them with no problem. What in the world does oil pulling have to do with ingrown hairs?
By the way, other results so fair: the whites of my eyes are particularly white. They're usually off-white, even yellow; mucous drains at the back of my throat when I pull (this just began happening a few days ago); my skin is suddenly baby-soft; and facial pockmarks are lightening up.
Oil pulling has become a very peaceful exercise for me. Love it! Thankfuk for the knowledge!
Torn Ligaments on Feet
Posted by Gayle (Houston, TX) on 07/04/2009
★★★★★
My situation is I have multiple sclerosis and have been disabled since 1995. Have been trying to exercise for 5 years first on treadmills, eliptical, etc. to keep my muscles healthy. Developed torn ligaments on both feet which looks like a red bump on the middle of both feet which hurts alot. The podiatrist said surgery or cortisone shots. I didn't like either of those choices. At the gym a reflexologist told me about oil pulling with sesame oil, 1Tbls for 20 minutes. Then following with 32 oz. of water with 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar. The red bumps are going away after just 2 weeks of op and water with acv and no pain. He said a side benefit is whiter teeth and yes that is happening too. What a wonderful, easy way to care for myself. I hope it regenerates and heals brains too.
Triggered Black Spots on Tongue
Posted by Hannah (New Orleans, LA) on 04/30/2024
3 days in and I woke up with a black tongue for the first time in my life! I scrubbed it, rinsed, repeated, until it wasn't black anymore. It was freaky though. Ghost
Side Effects
Posted by Emma (Budapest, Hungary) on 06/21/2009
BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
I've been oil pulling every morning for a couple of weeks and my sinus problems have totally cleared up. However, for the past 4 days, I've had a bloated, painful abdomen. I've eaten nothing out of the ordinary. Could this be an effect of the oil pulling? I swallow a couple of times while I'm doing the pulling, but only from the back of the throat.
