Oil pulling

Oil pulling is an alternative medical practice in which an edible oil is swished around the mouth for a period of time and then spat out, similar to mouthwash.[1] There is no evidence to support the claims made for the benefits of oil pulling.[1][2][3][4]

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Practitioners of oil pulling claim it is capable of improving oral and whole-body health, including a benefit in conditions such as headaches, migraines, diabetes mellitus, asthma, and acne, as well as whitening teeth.[5] Its promoters claim it works by pulling out toxins, which are known as ama in Ayurveda,[1] but there is no credible evidence to support this.[6][7][8]

History

Oil pulling stems from traditional Ayurvedic medicine,[1][9][10][11] whose practitioners may use sunflower oil or other herbal oils instead of coconut oil.[1][12]

Criticism

There is no high-quality research on oil pulling,[1][2][4] no understanding of a possible mechanism explaining how it would work,[13] and no evidence that it provides any benefit.[1][3][4] The American Dental Association agrees that there are no reliable scientific studies supporting the practice of oil pulling for any benefit to oral hygiene or overall wellbeing.[14]

The Canadian Dental Association assessed the practice of oil pulling in 2014 stating: "We sense oil pulling won't do any harm, we're not convinced there are any particular benefits to it."[15]

See also

References
  1. King A (13 April 2018). "Bad science: Oil pulling". British Dental Journal. 224 (7): 470. doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.2018.281. PMID 29651060.
  2. Novella, Steven (12 March 2014). "Oil Pulling Your Leg". Science Based Medicine. Retrieved 22 April 2017. Oil pulling is a suggestive misnomer, implying that something bad is being pulled from the mouth (toxins and bacteria). What little scientific evidence exists shows that it is probably not as effective as standard mouth wash, and what benefit it has is likely entirely due to the mechanical act of swishing to remove particles and bacteria from teeth and gums ... Oil pulling for general health or any other indication is pure pseudoscience. Detox claims are based on nothing, as are all detox claims. There is no evidence or plausible rationale to recommend oil pulling for any indication other than as a poor substitute for oral care.
  3. Kensche A, Reich M, Kümmerer K, Hannig M, Hannig C (April 2013). "Lipids in preventive dentistry". Clinical Oral Investigations (Review). 17 (3): 669–685. doi:10.1007/s00784-012-0835-9. PMID 23053698.
  4. Gbinigie O, Onakpoya I, Spencer E, McCall MacBain M, Heneghan C (June 2016). "Effect of oil pulling in promoting oro dental hygiene: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials". Complementary Therapies in Medicine (Review). 26: 47–54. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2016.02.011. PMID 27261981. To the best of our knowledge this is the first systematic review assessing the effect of oil pulling on oro dental hygiene. The results should be interpreted with caution because of the small number of included studies. Furthermore, the included studies were not adequately powered, and small sample sized studies could lead to misleading results
  5. Butler, Bethonia (20 March 2014). "Everyone is talking about 'oil pulling.' But does this health practice actually work?". The Washington Post.
  6. Oakley, Colleen (4 June 2014). "Should You Try Oil Pulling?". WebMD. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  7. Amruthesh S (2008). "Dentistry and Ayurveda - IV: classification and management of common oral diseases". Indian Journal of Dental Research. 19 (1): 52–61. doi:10.4103/0970-9290.38933. PMID 18245925.
  8. Marion, Jane (June 2014). "Oil Spill". Baltimore Magazine. Rosebud Entertainment. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  9. Puri, Nividita (2015) "Holistic Approach of Oil Pulling in the Dental World: a literature review". The Dental Assistant 20–23
  10. Bronson Gray, Barbara (18 April 2014). "Oil-Swishing Craze". WebMD.
  11. Cheshire, Sara (6 August 2014). "Does oil pulling work?". CNN. Turner Broadcasting System.
  12. Mulson, Jennifer (19 August 2014). "Live Well: Oil pulling draws fans, skeptics in Colorado Springs". The Gazette. Colorado Springs, Colorado. Archived from the original on 23 August 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  13. Lakshmi, T; Rajendran, R; Krishnan, Vidya (2013). "Perspectives of oil pulling therapy in dental practice". Dental Hypotheses. 4 (4): 131–134. doi:10.4103/2155-8213.122675.
  14. "Oil Pulling". American Dental Association.
  15. Anna Lazowski (5 June 2014). "Oil pulling: Ancient practice now a modern trend". CBC News. Retrieved 10 June 2014.

Further reading
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