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.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Robanatta (London, Ontario) on 12/16/2010
★★★★★
I was experiencing mild conjunctavitis in my left eye -not red but burning, itching, and mucous discharging. After my first OP with the coconut oil it was almost completely gone! I also felt lighter and had more energy, as well as my sinuses felt clearer. I hadn't noticed that my sinuses were congested, but they're just... Clearer?! ?
Then I did a OP with safflower oil several hours later. I'm finding that my throat is releasing toxins now. I'm starting to hack-up crap from my lungs -I'm an ex-smoker for 5 months now- and they feel like they are REALLY starting to clean out. I do have a mild head-ache, and a mild soar throat (only on the right side (weird! )), but I still feel healthy... I'm going to use the extra virgin coconut oil in the morning -I like the natural anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties of the oil as well as the MC-triglicerides- for a power cleanse in the morning. And then, I'll use the safflower oil with oregano for the other two treatments in before lunch and dinner. I might even try hemp oil before going to bed, as I've read that it makes one sleepy after using it. (I don't have trouble sleeping as it is, but any extra help might be good). GLTA... I'm glad to have heard about OP and this web-site...
Whitens Teeth
Posted by Sue (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) on 10/25/2010
★★★★★
Hi There,
The best oil to oil pull with is coconut oil by far. Coconut oil is anti-inflamatory, antiparasitic, antibacterial, antifungal, and antivirus. It truly cleans your mouth, literally. It's the only oil I used that whitened my teeth. When I started using coconut oil, my teeth visibly turned white within a week. My gums looked healthier and plaque disappeared. If you research coconut oil you will know yourself how beautiful an oil it is. I would never used anything else for this or for cooking. It is also the best moisterizer as well. I look ten years younger since starting to use it as a moisterizer and adding it to my diet, truly. Good luck and keep oil pulling, you are doing your body a lot of good.
Vitamin E Added
Posted by Ll (Odessa, Tx) on 10/12/2010
★★★★★
I have had an abcessed tooth for about two weeks now. I tried several of the cures on this site, and they all seemed to help a little. I decided finally to try the oil pulling this morning with sesame oil, after reading some of the theories here, I know they are basically sound, having studied pharmacy. I learned there that your mouth is easily one of the most bacteria-laden parts of your body. The stomach lining is porous, which is why alcohol is so quickly absorbed by the body: it simply goes straight through the stomach lining into the blood stream and throughout the body. If this is true of alcohol--which is a poison if not used in moderation--then it can easily be true of pretty much anything that goes into the stomach. And, of course, we swallow some saliva with everything we chew, so if there are bacteria hanging out in it, it could easily pass through the stomach lining and out into the blood stream, where it will swiftly be carried to the rest of the body. And--boom! --you have all the makings of a systemic infection (systemic is just pharmacy talk for anything affecting the whole body). Knowing from my studies and my own experience how great vitamin e is for so many things--you could call it a systemic vitamin, since it affects pretty much every part of the body when ingested--I thought, "What would happen if I added e oil to the sesame oil pull?"
(Honestly, you folks are all so obviously knowledgeable I was surprised to see no one had thought of it yet. This is some site, and I am impressed with a great deal of what I am reading! )
I used the one Tbls of sesame oil and added one capsule of 100 units vitamin e oil. Oh my God, that felt good on my gums! The longer I used it, the better my gums felt, until I had no pain at all by the end of the pull. I did have some pain coming back after, but I rinsed my mouth with some ACV and water (the baking soda I brushed with still had not got all the oil out of my mouth) and that cut the remaining oil and soothed my mouth enough that a little pain medication allowed me to sleep. I woke up a few hours later to find the swelling was significantly reduced. Will continue the oil pulls tomorrow--I think I will up the amount of vitamin e. I'd also be interested to know how it works for anyone else who decides to try it? Thanks guys: this site is great!
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...
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.
Adult Acne
Posted by Jen (Salt Lake City, Ut.) on 10/27/2009
★★★★★
I have been oil pulling with Coconut oil for about 6 months now and have noticed a lot of great results including increased energy and clarity of toughts. However the most significant is the improvement of my skin. I was haveing frequent adult breakouts of acne patches all the time, that I never had as a teenager, when one breakout would begin to clear another would begin. After oil pulling for about a month, my skin is clear and beautiful- no more breakouts. I also use Coconut oil as my primary moistureizer for my entire body and for cooking! I would like to say- if you begin to breakout a little more than usual in the beginning, don't stop, give it time- your skin will clear out! Good Luck and Thanks EC!
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
Broad Benefits
Posted by Audrey (Larnaca, Cyprus) on 04/20/2009
★★★★★
Olive Oil Pulling Remedy improves my tooth and jaw discomfort within hours.
I discovered this site a few hours ago seeking a remedy for my white coated tongue. As today is a public holiday in Cyprus I could not rush out and get some coconut oil which is what I wanted to do after reading the recommendations. So I opened the cupboard and took a shot of olive oil instead. (No mediterranean kitchen is ever without olive oil!). I managed to swish for about 12 minutes before I felt as if I was going to choke. I spat it out and rinsed thoroughly.
That was about 3 hours ago. I am so excited that I had to come back to the site to share my results. The sensitive tooth and jaw pain I have had for months, has almost completely disappeared. I coughed up a lot of phlegm and now feel so much clearer in my ears and throat.
I am stunned! I thought I was familiar with most of the well-known natural remedies but this is a new (and extremely effective) one on me. Thanks so much Earth Clinic and all it's users. I'm converted!
Skin
Posted by Michele (Wolcott, Connecticut) on 04/03/2009
★★★★★
I oil pull with Cod Liver Oil. It is a popular brand that has lemon and mint added. I can't taste the fish at all. I love oil pulling with the cod liver oil. My mouth is clean and healthy. And it is great for my skin. I don't injest any cod liver oil. I do take Omega 3 fish oil caps though. I feel that plenty of the vitamin A gets into my blood stream with the oil pulling. I also oil pull with Avacado oil, and extra virgin coconut oil. The avacado oil is great for your hair. Makes it healthy and shiny. And they are all good for your skin.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Francesca (Merseyside, UK) on 03/03/2009
★★★★★
hi everyone came about your site by accident. Began op about 5 days ago. I used ordinary extra virgin olive oil pulled for 20mins in the morning yet oil still remained yellow when i spat out yet the next morning when i woke up the first thing i noticed was i felt energised, a totally different person who is normally lethargic upon waking. I had a lot more mental clarity . On the second day my cracked heels which were sore every time i walked were healed and soft. My hair which was dry felt softer and my skin feels softer too. I have stopped coughing as well. I have suffered from bad chest infections since i was a child yet op has stopped the wheeze and the cough dead in its tracks. Every morning - wake now i feel i am being propelled in the right way towards super health thankyou so much for this site i will report back with more news
Broad Benefits
Posted by Anne (Los Angeles, CA) on 02/24/2009
★★★★★
I've been pulling about two months, using various oils but most frequently coconut and sesame. The main benefit I've noticed is that my teeth feel wonderful! The first time I pulled I noticed my teeth felt as if they had been individually polished! It was delightful! The first few days of OPing I kept running my tongue over my teeth just to enjoy the sensation!
Now I'm accustomed to the polished feeling but it's still great!
The first two weeks of OPing I tried several different oils and noticed each had different effects on me. Unfortunately, they don't have those effects any more but I'll list them here in case anyone else has the same reaction.
Sesame seed (cold-pressed): this oil made my teeth the "happiest" and smoothest.
Coconut oil (extra virgin, cold-pressed): I felt resonance with this oil. It was as if my personal vibration and the vibration of the oil were the same. Using that oil just felt correct for me. I know that sounds ridiculous but there it is, I cannot explain it better than that. Also, the coconut oil did not make my teeth as polished-feeling as the sesame.
Flax seed (cold-pressed): I loved this one. After pulling I felt very, very calm and peaceful. It was like taking a dose of Zen.
Olive oil (EVO): this gave me a mood boost. After pulling I felt joyous and buoyant.
For the last two weeks I've been exclusively using coconut oil. I'm going to switch next week and see if the olive oil still gives me an emotional boost.
Good luck to you oil pullers!
Dental Issues
Posted by Louise (Windsor, Ontario, Canada) on 01/15/2009
★★★★★
hello, i staretd oil pulling 3 days ago,all i can say is WOW, my teeth are whiter already and the black streaks on them disipated, by the way i still drink coffe,presently i use Siberian cedar nut oil (cold pressed)and only use a sip of it for pulling and 1Tsp, internally for tonifyng the organs. amazing !!!