Oil Pulling
Health Benefits

Oil Pulling: Unlock Natural Oral Health & Detox Benefits

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.
Chronic Sinusitis
Posted by Peachytechgirl (Atlanta, Ga) on 03/22/2013
★★★★★

I wanted to comment and say that oil pulling with organic extra virgin Olive oil has worked for me in the 2 short days that I have tried it. I am very glad I found this website.

I suffer from standard sinus problems and I've found that I flush my sinuses multiple times hourly. 2 days ago, I averaged maybe 5 sinus flushes per hour (using saline spray). Then I tried oil pulling.

Day one after starting oil pulling, I flushed my sinuses maybe once an hour. Day two, I've barely flushed at all. I can breatheeee!!! I can inhale and exhale and feel deep clean breaths in my nasal cavities.

Regarding oil pulling for teeth... I have one amalgam filling and was hesitant to begin oil pulling. After research on various websites, I found that other people reported oil pulling with fillings and didn't experience issues. The general understanding is that if you do experience issues with your fillings, there was pre-existing damage anyway. I visit the dentist regularly and I know that my fillings are entact, so I went ahead and began my routine.

I have not experienced any metallic tastes or other abnormalities. I will send an update if I do. Despite only starting this routine within the last 2 days, my teeth are shiny. I floss regularly, and I don't experience bleeding, but my gums are slightly swollen. Since I've started pulling, I've noticed that my gums don't feel swollen anymore. They feel very healthy.

Here is my routine:

I oil pull first thing in the morning with 1TBL/3tsp of evoo. (The oil that I use is standard and found in the organic section of my grocery store. ) I typically pull for 10-15 minutes. I can really feel the change of the oil in my mouth once I reach the end of the swishing period.

I spit it out, and immediately rinse with warm water. I brush my teeth with a tooth powder solution consisting of baking soda and sea salt, and then I gargle again with the remaining warm water (with some of the tooth powder mixed in). I then gargle one more time with just regular warm water to ensure I've cleaned my mouth thoroughly.

In the evenings I floss and gargle with warm water and baking soda/sea salt. In the 2 short days that I've oil pulled, I've noticed that my floss is removing more plaque than before (despite not changing eating habits), so I am definitely happy with the results thus far.

If I do experience any negative effects, I will send an update, but overall I am very happy so far with my oil pulling routine.


Side Effects
Posted by Blistered (Chicago, Il) on 02/27/2013

I tried oil pulling for the first time this morning using Meditteranean blend oil, which contains soya, sunflower and extra virgin olive oil. I did this before eating and drinking anything. I swished for 20 mins. , then rinsed with warm water, brushed my teeth and drank three glasses of water. It is now evening and I now have blisters in my mouth. Never had them before. Has this happened to someone else? Am I swishing too long, using wrong oil?? What can I do to avoid getting blisters. Thank you!!

Broad Benefits
Posted by Rusty (Kaneohe, Hawaii) on 06/22/2012
★★★★★

I have been oil pulling for the past 2 years and the first thing that I have noticed is that I have not had a bad cold since then, and using olive oil at first was harsh but, I have become used to it. Losing weight I am way over weight and since I have been oil pulling I have lost 50 lbs and feel much better. I oil pull every morning before I have breakfast for about 20 minutes. When I come home from work I oil pull again this time longer over one hour while on my computer. Oil pulling is a part of my daily life. My over all condition has improved a lot. No more asthma atacks or wheezing and with the loss of the weight I find myself getting around much more instead of watching TV all the time. I am not as tired as how I used to be after losing the toxins that plays a major roll in my life. At the beginning my body was purging out all the impurities and this does happen. Depending on your condition. Everyones condition is different.

Also check on MMS by Dr. James V Humble and the cures that MMS can do for you like cancer. How the drug companies want to get rid of this Dr. Humble, because for pennies a day you can live much longer. Check him out. aloha, Rusty


Dental Issues
Posted by Karen (Broomfield, Co, Usa) on 01/25/2012
★★★★★

I found this website and read about oil pulling. It was of interest to me because the last time I went for a dental cleaning the dentist suggested gum surgery for receeding gums. For the last few months (with breaks while travelling) I have swished organic, white, unrefined sesame oil in my mouth for less than one minute each evening and then spit it out. I know everyone says 5-10 minutes but that's not realistic for me (I will just avoid it) so I decided to do it for a minute or less after I brush and floss and while I am dressing for bed. Just had another dental cleaning today. Normal gums! The dentists didn't even want to measure the gums this time! This healed my gums with minimal time, little effort and little cost. AND to boot, it's helped me tremendously with my allergies. I know the die hard people will say 1 minute it too short but all I can say is that it's worked for me, big time!


Broad Benefits
Posted by Convinced (New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada) on 09/21/2011
★★★★★

I have been OPing for almost two weeks and am just amazed. I guess for me it was worth it just to finally, finally have a lymph node that is normal, not swollen or infected. It went down in a matter of three days. My teeth are whiter, my skin is smooth, I am feeling calm and relaxed and sleeping better. The first couple of days, yes, I had bad headaches and some fatigue but you soldier on, it's only temporary. The benefits are worth it in the end!!

Oral Lichen Planus
Posted by Jtk (Independence, Missouri) on 02/22/2011
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I have been pulling oil for about six weeks & though I'm not cured, my condition is dramatically better than on any previous day over the past 10 years.

I first heard of oil pulling in Dr Ott's column in our local newspaper, I then looked it up on the web. I bought a bottle of sesame oil at the grocery that tasted awful as it was pure but toasted. I misremembered what I'd quickly read/scanned on the web and bought a big bottle of safflower oil at a local health food store and started using it. I immediately began to see results and within a week or so my mouth was mostly healed up. The first time in over ten years without constant pain.

Enjoying such remarkable results I started reading more about oil pulling and realized that sunflower not safflower was the preferred oil. The next time I visited the health food store I picked up big bottles of sesame and sunflower and a bottle of hemp oil. I began pulling three times a day, with the very delicious hemp mid-day, in a couple of days I suddenly had day long diarrhea every 30-40 minutes followed by a half day of the same. I quit the hemp oil and my stool firmed up. I continued twice a day alternating between the sesame and sunflower, then I went to once a day first with sesame for a few days then sunflower for a few days all the while my old symptoms were resurfacing though not nearly so virulently. I then decided to revert to the safflower oil that seemed to have done so much good at first and my mouth seems better by the day; not perfect but lots better. Once a day seems sufficient though I sometimes pull at bedtime as well as morning.

My point here is that different oils definitely do different things and those things may differ with the individual. There is no question in my mind as to the power of oil pulling.

To give some idea of my condition:

I have had clinically diagnosed (biopsy) oral lichen planus which has persisted and worsened for more than 10 years. Modern medical science can only offer steroids to lessen symptoms (and the one med- pack I took didn't help at all) or oral steroid ointments, that also did no good. Alternative medicine offers three basic cures that list different countries of origin but all mail out of Pakistan, modest benefit if any. Limiting spicy and acidic foods helped slightly. Various homeopathic, vitamin, colloidal silver and nutritional protocols weren't helpful. A tea tree oil mouthwash did about as much as anything. For much of the time brushing my teeth was out of the question.

My condition has been a never ending series of almost healing for a few days followed by blisters that cover the inside of the cheeks and over the gums which burst and then peel in layers for days & weeks on end keeping the inside of my mouth raw to the point it hurt to drink water and it hurt even more when eating. As I write this I can still find sore spots in my mouth, but I have to seek them out. I am noticing other changes like smelling things I haven't smelled in years.

I am only 6 weeks into this we'll see how it is in 12. JTK

Sinus Infections
Posted by Kaitlin (Chester, Va) on 05/10/2010
★★★★★

I have been incredibly ill with a sinus infection the last three days--high fever, sore throat, yellow mucus, horrible headaches, and even vomiting. This one was really a doozy; I haven't been this sick in a long time! I tried oil pulling with the extra virgin olive oil I had in the cupboard, and after three minutes I had to spit it out because I started coughing up mucus and didn't stop for five minutes. My head started clearing up, too. While my throat is now even more sore from the coughing, the rest of me feels relief for the first time in days! I will definitely continue oil pulling and update on the results.


Congestion
Posted by Camille (Houston, Tx) on 02/07/2010
★★★★★

Hi! Oil Pulling with extra virgin olive oil cured the congestion in my chest and helped me breathe easier! I was having trouble breathing when I wake up in the morning. I could not take a satisfyingly deep breath- my chest was too congested (I am a smoker, hopefully a non-smoker soon). I read about oil pulling and tried it this morning. I used olive oil this time but I am going to pick up coconut oil later today. I swished a tablespoon of evoo for 15 minutes. As I swished, I felt the congestion in my chest breaking up. After spitting out the evoo into the toilet, i was able to cough up some unwanted phlem, thus allowing me to breathe!!! I am going to keep oil pulling!! THANKS EARTHCLINIC!!


Dental Issues
Posted by Hadessah (Charlotte, Nc) on 09/08/2009
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I use 1 teaspoon extra virgin Olive Oil for 15 minutes every morning, first thing.

Oil Pulling has made my teeth stronger and whiter and it is healing a disorder I was going to doctors for nearly 20 years. I've tried all kinds of antibiotics to cure sinusitis. Now after oil-pulling, I feel the pressure in my upper gum, above where a tooth was extracted. Above the bony part of the gum. So I 've had an abcess for two decades. No wonder people stepped back when talking to me. My breath smelled like 20 year old decay.

I developed tinnitis and oil-pulling may eventually clear up all the abcess right at the base of my maxillary sinus, BUT actually above the bony part of my gum where a tooth was extracted in the 80s.

Dental Issues
Posted by Allen (Austin, MN) on 07/20/2009
★★★★★

I've tried several kinds of oil for oil pulling and I find olive oil to be the best by far. My dentist is impressed with the results too... as my gums have reattached to my teeth. I use 1 tsp twice a day for 15 mins. When I first wake up and right before bed. It doesn't taste very good at first but after 15 mins. by mouth feels very clean. It's very soothing for a tooth ache or cut inside your mouth too.


Congestion
Posted by Elliotsmum (London, United Kingdom) on 05/17/2009
★★★★★

I have just started oil pulling in a bid to help my gum disease. I tried olive oil 1T for the first time as that was all I had. I went out and bought some avacado oil with lemon as I thought that would taste a little better. It does.

I am currently using 1/2 a TBSP as I find it hard to keep in a whole TBSP due to loads of saliva.

I will update regarding my gum disease when I have visited the Periodontist in July.

I have however noticed the following: the bags under my eyes have flattened down considerably and strangely enough my sinus's cleared so well - I was not even aware how congested I was until they cleared. Will keep you updated.


Insights and Theories
Posted by Christinej (Surprise, Arizona, Usa) on 07/09/2010

Canola oil should not be used for oil pulling. I agree with this comment 100%. I have researched Canola oil and it is bad stuff.


Insights and Theories
Posted by Douglas (Md) on 08/19/2013

No canola oil is not at all healthy. It is one of the main causes of diabetes. When using canola oil it takes 6 months to undo the damage from 1 serving of this nasty oil. It places an artificial fat wall around your cells walls that disrupt the electrical balance of your cells. This fat wall then does not allow glucose to properly penetrate. This knocks your pancreatic cells out of whack which produce Insulin and causes blood sugar imbalance. You can fix this in about 6 months if you cut out all canola oil as well as all margirin and vegetable oil. Buy a bottle of cold pressed Flaxseed oil and a bag of ground flaxseed. The ground flaxseed has to be used as soon as its introduced to the air because it goes rancid very quick. The flaxseed oil must have the top secured at all times and kept away from heat and light. Mix 1 table spoon with 2 tablespoons of 4% milkfat cottage cheese. Or you can double the amount depending on how hungry you are. Mix very well. Take this mixture and add in 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed. Mix well and you can optionaly add cinnamon for blood sugar balancing(it mimmicks insulin) and apricott or organic fruit of your choice. Eat this 3 times per day. This diet is known as the budwig diet and it reverses diabetes as well as cancer. Avoid taking vitamin C when using this diet at least 3 hours before or after eating. The flaxseed oil mixes with the fat of the cottage cheese in a way that makes it become water soluble. The oil then can bypass the liver and directly bring oxygenation to your cells and organs through your blood stream. Your diabetes will be reversed within 6 months or less if you eliminate all bad fats especialy canola, margerin, and vegetable oils. Also if you can get organic cottage cheese that is the prefered type to use. God bless and good luck to everyone. Sending light and love out to all that read this!!!!!!!!!!


Insights and Theories
Posted by Hotlava (Seattle) on 10/22/2013

Canola Oil should be strictly avoided- its ALL genetically modified, meaning genes from differing species are artificially added to the plant genetic reproduction... nothing to do with traditional agricultural genetic breeding (ex, begonias or apples)! The name itself is short for Canada Oil, and it is a modern agricultural product, not a centuries-old traditional food that has withstood the test of time in human nutrition.

Transgenic modifications were created for the sole purpose of a few corporations owning patent rights to our food supply, no matter how much they declare they are "feeding the world" and helping our meet out outrageous population needs. It's all political and economic rhetoric to increase their profit margins and corporate survival. Very little unbiased research has been PUBLISHED, meaning most scientific research on the topic is contaminated with economic agendas.

Human's have farmed for how long without the help of Monsanto/ DuPont? And now those companies own the game!

Google "Institute for Responsible Technology" to get a list of documentaries that will change your life regarding the topic (plus a host of powerpoint slides showing GMO food health implication in animal studies). Mercola.com is another good resource. Educate yourself about the health impacts of GM foods and agriculture, and don't buy into big agribusiness' political campaigns!

The best step forward is to have manditory labeling of GMO's on our food labels, so we can have personal soverignty (right to choose), and we can pay attention to what we are REALLY eating.

If avoiding GM foods improves a person's health, then so be it! If not, then we can research with a new hypothesis! This is the scientific method, currently being denied to the American Public due to corporate manipulation.

Any time I am force-fed information that is convenient to corporations or corporately-owned governments (*cough*), I ask myself "who is profiting off this information?"

Blessings to the Earth Clinic community... people's power is in learning and educating themselves!


Castor Oil
Posted by Susan (Oshkosh, WI) on 03/18/2009

Hello everyone! I have become addicted to the site like everybody else. I have a question about oil pulling. I made it through five pages and did not see anything about food grade Castor Oil. I kept thinking about the Cayce remedies and his great results for many ailments using Castor Oil. Has anyone tried it? Does anyone know of a reason it should not be used for oil pulling? My intuition keeps telling me to try it, and I believe that we are often led to the right thing for ourselves. To everyone who is working on healing themselves, don't give up! If one thing does not work for you try again and again. In the trying you reinforce the "health"vibration around you. You are not alone in your seking and all of us who read your posts are pulling[no pun intended] for you and with you!

Addiction, Smoking
Posted by Leighroy (Stockport, Cheshire) on 01/05/2009
★★★★☆

Having spent the whole of the festive period wallowing in my own self pity due to a severe case of the flu, which I shared with the rest of my family, I was fortunate to find your website in the search for a remedy for my affliction.

I became engrossed in reading at least 10 pages of post's relating to "oil pulling" and its benefits. Being probably as sceptical as most are when they told that a tablespoon of oil swilled in the mouth for 15 minutes could change your life. I decided that I had nothing to lose and that I might even benefit.

Wooooooooow!!! the following day, my fever had subsided leaving me with just the "snotty congested remnants" of the flu - I kept an open mind as I had consumed several cloves of garlic that night and had enough "flu remedy tablets" to put a whale to sleep. The following day however I felt optomistic about the whole affair and pre breakfast treated myself to another bout of OP.

THe reason for my post is to give a huge thumbs up for the benefits of this treament which if nothing else has boosted my enthusiasm for life. More importantly I gave up smoking after my second treatment due to the fact that the taste of the tobacco was no longer pleasant. I have managed to remain a non smoker for the last seven days which is the longest I have been without tobacco for 27 years. Prior to OP I had absolutely no inclination to quit and rather enjoyed it smoking at least 10-15 per day.

I am in no way saying that OP will make you stop smoking .......but for at least 7 days it has been the driving force behind my new found love of fresh air. Each morning I use 1 tablespoon of cold pressed olive oil as I cant seem to source sesame. I swish for 20 minutes before rinsing out with a solution of 1tps rock salt/1tps bi carb soda and 8 oz water taking care to lightly brush everywhere.

As such I would recommend OP to everyone and have done so. I would be interested to know if there are any other documented cases where OP has directly contributed to a smoker giving up. Thanks again and yes my teeth are whiter but that may just be the absence of tobacco. I have also found that I need less caffein and have hardly touched alcohol but again this may be due to the flu residue or just the fact that sub conciously I am making a real effort to stay healthy.

Whatever.... OP for life


Insights and Theories
Posted by Melissa (Marseille) on 09/16/2021

For the real oregano essential oil ... I found it in www.maisonlaget.fr amazing quality, .


Insights and Theories
Posted by Liz Turner (Devon, Uk) on 01/15/2014

Have started using coconut oil but not sure how you can fit a whole tablespoon in your mouth, even a full teaspoon feels a lot of oil! Are you sure its not meant to be a teaspoon?!


Loose Teeth
Posted by Hollis (Hilo, Hawaii) on 11/04/2007
★★★★★

I've been pulling oil since 10/06 and feel that the most obvious improvment is in my teeth and gums.....bright white teeth and healthy gums that hold my teeth firmly in place where they used to be loose before. Also I sleep more soundly and feel refreshed in the morning. I want to do this for the rest of my life and wonder if that would be OK or not. Is there anything negative that could come from my pulling oil once a day forever.....I'm 65 and it sure beats medication.


Agent Orange Poisoning
Posted by Kendra Rose (Haiku, Hawaii) on 08/24/2007
★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I have now been oil pulling for two months both morning and night. Twenty-eight years ago I was exposed to agent orange here in Hawaii from the pineapple fields. It had gotten into the water supply. I have been ill ever since, I especially suffered from migraines. To make things worse I have heavy metal poisoning that is off the charts.

Two friends put their grandmother's rosaries on me and prayed for me by my request... as I had been feeling so terrible.. kept telling my friends that my blood feels poisoned. That night I found EarthClinic and my prayer was answered. My life has been restored to me. Glory be to Buddha, Marys, Christ, angels and all the Saints! HO!

I have consistent energy. I no longer feel poisoned, my blood feels joyous! I am sleeping so deeply from the very first day I tried it. Now that I feel so good, I understand how deeply sick I've been all this time. My body feels so relieved not to start the day with a toxic overload. A new acquaintance of mine said that since she's known me she can't believe the quality of my skin...

I have tried for over 28 years many modalities, herbal medicines, prescription medicines.. nothing helped me.. I began to feel I was the only person on earth who could not heal... and I'm a healer... I am healing and everyday I am amazed, startled, surprised, delighted that I wake up feeling grrreat! Blessed Be!



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