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.
Detoxification
Posted by 2bconscious (West Des Moines, Iowa) on 03/31/2012
★★★★★
I have been using Coconut oil to Oil Pull every morning now for 6 days. The first day I had pain in my left shoulder, arm and upper back. The pain and concern caused me to go to the Urgent Care Center. The doctor diagnosis was inflammation, prescribed pain pills. I never took the pills. The next morning the pain was gone! I noticed my gums are getting pinker in places where they were dark in color. I also notice my energy level is higher!! I did also start walking on the treadmill every morning for 30 min. 1 1/2, 5 days ago!! I also use Coconut oil for my toothpaste and deodorant!! I love it!! Oil Pulling with Coconut Oil is a winner!!
Coated Tongue
Posted by Blac (Detroit, Mi Usa) on 03/01/2012
★★★★★
I recently had a bout of bronchitis. I noticed my tongue was coated from my detoxing. I was reading thru the oil pulling therapy comments and decided to try it with sesame oil. I forgot how well it works. My tongue is pink again. I think I'll do it on a regular basis and see what happens.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Shannon (Desoto, Tx, Usa) on 01/12/2012
★★★★★
I've been oil pulling for about two weeks and am really pleased with the results. I began with coconut oil but found the texture and flavor to be off-putting. Once I switched to untoasted sesame oil, I found the process completely tolerable. I OP first thing in the morning for 20 minutes and have found the following results: My joints feel better (I have chronic knee and shoulder pain from degeneration), my teeth and gums feel like I've just been to the dentist for a cleaning, my skin is less dry and my muscles hurt less after re-starting to work out.
The best result is the healing of dermatitis. I have severe dermatitis in my ears. They continually itch from the outside all the way down into my ear canal. Not only is it uncomfortable, it's embarassing because of the constant flaking. After two weeks, I have minor itching externally with no flaking and no deep itch. It's as if my ears are healing from the inside out. I'm so thankful for this site and friends with great suggestions!
Libido Restored
Posted by Christofer (Denver, Colorado - Usa) on 09/03/2011
★★★★★
I have been doing OP with sesame for less than two weeks. Not only do I sleep better, cut down on excessive urination especially at night, weight loss, just general wonderful feelings, but my libido has returned like crazy. I am 62, but have suffered from psoriatic arthritis for years, and have lost sexual vitality for over a decade. NOW. What has happened? I am walking around with increased circulation, desire of youth and awakening with erections. I am sure now that my entire state of health has been affected by conjested toxins, but oh my God. This is wonderful! Can you give me more theory, or explanation for this wonderful change?
Dental Issues
Posted by Pat (Albuquerque, Nm) on 09/01/2011
★★★★★
oil pulling is overall a good remedy. Swish 1 Tablespoon sunflower, or sesame oil between the teeth for around 15 minutes every day. DO NOT SWALLOW. This pulls poisons from your mouth. If you find that you gag, then spit it out ( in the toilet ) and then try again the next day. You will eventually build yourselft up to it. It is important to brush your teeth thoroughly after you spit the oil out either with natural soap or toothpaste. I use soap because it helps rid the poison residue. Oil pulling also cures certain ailments from the body over time. My dental exams have been excellent since I've been doing this. I try to do it everyday for about 2 to 3 weeks to cleanse thoroughly.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Letitia (Halifax, Nova Scotia) on 03/07/2011
★★★★★BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
Hey! I have some feedback and a question. I've been Oil pulling with EVOO and Pure Sunflower Oil for 5 days now. I know it's suppose to be Cold-pressed, I'm working on it. I read a blog entry on oil pulling, and how it helped with whitening teeth and over all oral health. I thought BINGO! My prayers have been answered. I have soft teeth, and get cavities pretty easy. I started to do my research before trying it and found this site. I am happy to say that in just 5 days of oil pulling my skin is softer, my teeth are whiter, my mouth feels clean longer, my breath smells good, and I feel more alive!
I did get some detox side effects, like headaches and nausea, but that's about it. The only other problem I'm having while oil pulling is pain in my teeth. I took this to reduce the pain not increase it. Also weird discomfort in the back of my throat. I'm wondering if anyone else experienced the same thing? does anyone know what I should do, whether I should stop the oil pulling, is it making my teeth worse? I don't know.
Dental Issues
Posted by Francisca (Michelbach-le-bas, Alsace, France) on 10/13/2010
Dee, I had a root canal over a year before I started having problems. I think that it was a coincidence that the filling started falling a while after I started OP. The dentist kept laughing and filling the tooth again and again (and we kept paying for it.... ). When I went there the last time because I started feeling a funny sensation when I would eat or drink and was prepared to tell him that he had to find a solution for my problem the tooth was broken from so much work done to it and had to be pulled. It was a big shock as I have great teeth, to lose one at 53.... Afterwards I discovered that the tooth could have been saved if he had put a crown on it on time.... But he didn't! Was it the OP? I think that somehow that was a coincidence but I will never know. Anyway, he should have done a better work. We are going to write him a letter and see what he says. This is going to cost us a lot of money and bother because now I need an implant. It took me maybe two weeks to start to accept what had happened. Would I have done OP if I knew what I know now, even if it had nothing to do with what has happened... I don't know but I should have been more alert and have gone somewhere else for a second opinion and I would surely still have my tooth. What OP does for me is to prevent me from feeling pressure on my down teeth which is very annoying. For the rest I have never noticed anything. Once in a while I mix a drop of clove oil to give my mouth a good clean. I do have a few old porcelain filling, no problems there! My verdict and actually the one of the dentist... OP can't have had anything to do with it. After all it is nothing more than swishing a bit of oil in your mouth! What consoles me is that root canals are not always a good thing because if you have an infection and don't feel it they can cause a lot more problems without you knowing where they come from but... Implants can give infections as well and they are so awfully expensive...
Dental Issues
Posted by Noelle (Denton, Tx, Us) on 09/15/2010
★★★★★
I found this site after researching ACV and am very glad to have found it. After reading for a few days, I decided to try OPing. All I had in the house was EVOO, so I did that for 2 days and then got some organic sesame (not sesame seed) oil. I found the sesame taste very pleasant, although I see some posters have found it too strong for their tastes. What amazed me was how clean my teeth and mouth felt after 20 minutes of the sesame oil. The yucky "dragon mouth" I was used to having upon awakening was not there, nor was the scummy residue on my teeth. I didn't even feel like I really needed to brush my teeth afterward (but did). I have very soft teeth enamel, to the point that I have left brush marks on my teeth, and I wish I'd known about OPing years ago. Can't wait to see what other benefits are revealed.
Dental Issues
Posted by Bart (Brooklyn, Ny) on 08/19/2010
★★★★★
I've had a really bad tooth infection for the past couple days, so after scouring the internet for solutions, I found oil pulling. I'm a bit skeptical, but my good friend is currently on the regime, which seemed harmless to her. The only thing I had on the pantry was Extra Virgin Olive Oil.... Swished around 2 tablespoons worth for approximately 15 minutes, and the pain was leaving me! It kind of blew my mind. The next morning, the swelling in my gum went down slightly. It was pretty much gone the day after. I haven't noticed anything else with using it. The infected tooth is chipped in half from an accident awhile ago, and I've been waiting for a root canal. Luckily this will hold me over for another week.
Side Effects
Posted by Evelyn G. (San Antonio, Texas, U.s.a.) on 07/21/2010
Oil Pulling With Sesame Oil Causing Sunlight Sensitivity
This is a question for Ted.
I have been Oil Pulling for two weeks and am having some problems. I have Glaucoma plus other health problems. I am 80 years old. Since OP with Sesame oil, I seem to be very sensitive to the sun's glare. Have to use sunglasses on top of my Transition glasses. To add to this problem, I have blurred vision for around an hour. Then everything goes back to normal. The pain that I had in my shoulder disappeared and I feel fine otherwise. I stopped OP for three days and the problem went away. Now I don't know what to do. Please advise me. I would like to continue with the OP but do not want to hurt my health in other ways. I also broke out with a small rash on my chest. I presume that it was the toxins going out of my body. Should I start the ACV, bicarbonate of soda and water for two weeks to detoxify my body and then start again? Thanking you in advance. Evelyn G.
Skin
Posted by Phaedypants (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) on 06/24/2010
★★★★★
I`ve been oil pulling for 4 days, in hopes to reap all the great benefits... i haven`t visited the dentist in a very very long time, and was internet researching to find a safe natural way to keep my mouth clean and healthy....
I am using 1TBS of sesame oil, and pulling for 20 minutes each morning. i have no problem with it...sometimes I lose track of time and pull for 25-30 minutes....
Maybe too soon to notice anything major, but my skin looks AMAZING! even the skin on my back, which is prone to acne, is clear and smooth....i don`t think i can remember a time in the last 15 years that i didn`t have a spot on my back. I don`t know if this is just the oil pulling, (i also tone my back with apple cider vinegar) but i`m pretty pleased!
My teeth look white, but they always are pretty white, and my gums look pink, but i think they always are too...i do notice a little less bleeding when i floss, and the general smell of flossing isn`t so unpleasant.
mostly, i cannot wait to get into some slinky summer dresses and show off my glowing skin!
p.s. for those of you with alot of ayurvedic knowledge...i`ve been told on two seperate occaisions by two people who studied ayurveda that i have a vata imbalance. (way too much air...i sense instinctively that this is true.) are there any other natural health methods that might benefit this?
Leukemia, Sinus Infections
Posted by Sue (Orangevale, Ca) on 03/04/2010
★★★★★
Sesame Seed Oil pulling cured my leukemia and sinus infection
Sesame Seed Oil pulling with 5 drops of Oregano oil in a tablespoon. From reading info from your web site I started Oil Pulling about two months ago. I had a severe cronic sinus infection for nine months. Leukemia set in my sinus. I had severe nose bleeds every day. I had almost immediate results from oil pulling. They first day I did not have to take the 800 mil ibpropens that I had been taking for nine months. I had 3 different nasal surgeries for the sinus infection to continue with all the nose bleeds. When I had done Oil Pulling for about 1 week the nose bleeds went away. At first I did not know if it was the prayers that was being made or the blood transfusions that I had, but when I quit the oil pulling it all came back. Now I do oil pulling for 15 minutes the first thing every morning. The sinus infection went away. My blood count is now back to normal. I think the oil pulling is a miracle. I know it is pulling something because by the end of the fifteen minutes the oil gets very bitter. Thank you for your web site and information.
Back Pain, Severe
Posted by Toomuchswagger (Atlanta, Ga) on 10/12/2009
★★★★★
Benefits of using Sesame Oil for Oil Pulling Therapy
I tried Sesame Oil after experiencing severe back pain from a tramatic injury to my tailbone and my coccyx bone became misaligned, which caused severe pain when I'm sitting down. I also have chronic knee pain, stomach pains, occasional headaches and an infection on the right side of my mouth. I began the oil pulling therapy on July 21, 2009 and after 3-4 weeks I saw a noticeable decrease in my back pain. I used to have difficulty being seated for periods longer than one hour and had horrible pain after riding in a car or driving for long distances. I have experienced such remarkable improvements in my results that I was able to drive from Georgia to Maryland with no pain in my back or my knee, 5 weeks after I began oil pulling therapy. I no longer have headaches or pain in my stomach. I have also noticed that the pain in my mouth is gone because the infection has obviously disappeared!! I feel absolutely wonderful that I am now pain-free and I have accomplished this without surgery or chemical drugs and medication. I am happy to say that my girlfriend and family members have now begun oil pulling therapy.
Dental Issues
Posted by Sandy (sandhya) (Bangalore, Karnataka) on 08/17/2009
★★★★★
I took a couple of teaspoons of raw honey in my mouth and kept swishing it around for 20 minutes (procedure same as oil pulling), and the spat it out and rinsed my mouth. Voila! Toothache gone immediately!!
Broad Benefits
Posted by Jerry (Florida) on 08/01/2009
★★★★☆BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
Hi. I recently started Oilpulling, (EVOO) before breakfast. For the first 2 weeks it was fine, I felt, more energetic, my skin started looking new, dewy, soft to the touch. Plaque started falling off my teeth, which looks whiter, gums healthier. I started to sweat, (which I havent done in years, no matter how much outdoor work I did.) I wasnt aware the sweet cravings had gone away, untill I went to my snack pantry and saw it filled.
After that I started getting chest pains, (I do have a mitral valve prolapse, which I was told, will repair itself after a period of time.) The first night with chestpains, I just laid down and waited to die, the pain being so severe. I stopped the OP because I was scared to try it again. I do want it to work because of all the positive results Ive seen so far.
Do you think that the pain was part of the detox process, or should I switch oils, or do you think its not for me.
Insights and Theories
Posted by Chris (Paris, On) on 01/31/2011
UUUH... Rape seed oil and canola oil are the same thing... They just changed the name to please the masses... Rape seed oil sounds wrong apparently... PS, almost everything you eat, drink, and see is genetically modified... Even yourselves... Sleep tight
Insights and Theories
Posted by Al (Alvena, Sk., Canada) on 01/27/2013
Canola is a modified version of rape. I don't know if it was done by cross breeding or by GMO but it was done to reduce the acidity of the oil as the acidic rapeseed oil was considered to be unhealthy. I use grape seed oil for all my cooking as it has zero cholesterol. I am 54 and have "the blood pressure of a healthy 150 pound 18 year old" at 330 lbs.. Has anyone used grape seed oil for oil pulling?
Canola Oil
Posted by Louise (Utah) on 10/16/2016
It is my understanding that genetically modified means roundup is infused into the seeds to kill insects to protect the plant. This is the reason bees are dying. And this is the reason that wheat and corn are so dangerous to eat. And this is the reason some countries have outlawed Roundup. Farmers flood their wheat fields with roundup to create a stronger crop to make more money which is wiping out the bee population. Without bees, we have no food. It's a scary situation. Genetically modified is a misnomer.
Mental Health
Posted by Nic (Athens, Greece) on 04/27/2009
★★★★★
After seeing how successful are most of the home remedies I've found here, I decided to try this one as well out of curiosity. Oil pulling started more than a week ago, first with olive oil, which I thought would be the best, then bought excellent sesame oil for the first time in my life. Sesame oil was an amazing discovery, Greeks love olive oil and I was a big fan of this national product, avoiding all other oils, but in my case oil pulling was disgusting when using olive oil, and it was a big unpleasant surprise for me since I love the taste of olive oil. Although I suspect olive oil is extremely powerful, more than sesame oil and other oils, it was the latter that worked. I read someone's feedback that he managed to feel less depressed or something like that while oil pulling. I have always been against anti-depressants but many a time before I nearly tried to find a decent doctor to prescribe me some mild ones, as I felt very low for a very long period despite the fact nothing that serious or bad was happening in my life. First of all, negativity has vanished entirely from my way of thinking, dark thoughts were eliminated in just two days. I had no problem focusing so far but I never thought my ability to focus could become so good, excellent! Colours became more vivid especially red green and blue. Confident and more pragmatic than ever, I find it no more difficult to decide and evaluate almost everything. Oil pulling is a great tool if you are trying to become serene and positive. And yes, oil pulling with sesame oil doesn't taste horrible, is easier and you can swish more efficiently, cures not only the body, but also the mind, betters your psychological condition. I am so glad I never found a decent doctor for those 'happy' pills. The answer is oil pulling. I just wish I knew about turmeric powder, ACV+honey, good old garlic and onion, warm compresses etc, earlier, as I would have never taken so many antibiotics. Thank you very Earth Clinic Team and all of you who send your feedback!
Cheers