Oil pulling
Oil pulling or oil swishing, in alternative medicine, is a traditional Indian folk remedy that involves swishing oil in the mouth for claimed oral and systemic health benefits. It is mentioned in the Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita where it is called Kavala Gandoosha / Kavala Graha.[1] It is also used to reduce enamel wear from stomach acid from vomiting.[citation needed] According to one study on "the effect of oil-pulling on the reduction of total count of bacteria": "there was a remarkable reduction in the total count of bacteria.[2] The process of oil-pulling reduced the susceptibility of a host to dental caries."[3]
In a controlled study the effect of pulling sesame oil was found to be equivalent to the mouthwash chlorhexidine in its reduction of dental plaque and modified gingival index scores. [4]
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[edit] Procedure
The practitioner rinses the mouth with approximately one tablespoon of oil (sesame and sunflower oils are the most recommended) for 15–20 minutes on an empty stomach (before eating/drinking) then spits it out.[5]
This process makes oil thoroughly mixed with saliva. As the process continues, the oil gets thinner and white. The oil is put in the mouth, with chin tilted up, and slowly swished, sucked, chomped and pulled through the teeth. The oil changes from yellow and oily consistency to a thick viscous consistency. A second round of oil pulling may be done with fresh oil for further cleansing. The oral cavity is then thoroughly rinsed and washed with normal tap water and fingers or tooth brush. This procedure is typically performed daily.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Asokan S., Oil pulling therapy, Indian J Dent Res [serial online] 2008 [cited 2008 Jul 5];19:169. (retrieved 5 July 2008)
- ^ Effect of oil pulling on halitosis and microorganisms causing halitosis: A randomized controlled pilot trial Sharath Asokan, R Saravana Kumar, Pamela Emmadi, R Raghuraman, N Sivakumar, Meenakshi Ammal Dental College, Chennai, India . J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent 2011;29:90-4
- ^ Effect of oil-pulling on dental caries causing bacteria T. Durai Anand , C. Pothiraj, R. M. Gopinath and B. Kayalvizhi PG Department of Microbiology, V. H. N. S. N. College, Virudhunagar , India. Accepted 12 February, 2008
- ^ Tooth brushing, oil pulling and tissue regeneration: A review of holistic approaches to oral health Abhinav Singh, Bharathi Purohit, Department of Public Health Dentistry, People's College of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Bhopal, India. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicin ,Year : 2011 ,Volume: 2 ,Issue Number: 2 , Page: 64-68 ]
- ^ The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : The economics of success
