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"&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Last year a close family member was dealing with a pretty nasty oral surgery. In helping research the procedure, I learned a lot about the mouth.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Poor &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/improving-oral-health-with-the-latest-in-health-innovation-1739205&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;oral health&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; may contribute to health problems including heart disease, osteoporosis and Alzheimer\u2019s. My family\u2019s dental history is spotty at best, so I decided it was time to fine-tune my own oral hygiene routine.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;I did my research, consulted dentists, and formed a plan, which included upgrading to a Sonicare toothbrush, switching to an &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://www.ewg.org/skindeep&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;externalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;2&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Environmental Working Group-approved&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; toothpaste, and doubling my floss routine (morning and night).&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;But there was one more thing I was curious about. What\u2019s all this hype about oil pulling?&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;So, What Is Oil Pulling?&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;It sounds like some tough job in the labor sector, but \u201Coil pulling\u201D just means rolling a bunch of oil around in your mouth. That\u2019s it.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Swish about a tablespoon of edible oil (olive, coconut, sesame, sunflower) for 10-15 minutes once a day, and proponents say it\u2019ll take care of bad breath, reduce your risk for gingivitis, whiten your teeth, and remedy maladies like acne and headaches by removing toxins from the body.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;Does It Work?&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Just because something got mentioned in an ancient Ayurvedic text doesn\u2019t automatically mean it\u2019s a good idea (see: bloodletting).&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;But there is some logic behind the claims. When fat in the oil meets certain compounds in the mouth, it makes a not-bad-tasting \u201Csoap,\u201D which emulsifies and may clean the mouth by \u201Cscrubbing\u201D away harmful micro-organisms. Oils also have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;What does science say?&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Most studies on oil pulling are small, short, or incomplete. But that doesn\u2019t mean the practice is useless. It just means we don\u2019t know...yet.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Let\u2019s take a look at some claims.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Eliminating bad breath :\u00A0&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;About 85 percent of halitosis originates in the mouth. Studies indicate that oil pulling is as effective at tackling bad breath as a common ingredient in mouthwash. &amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Reducing plaque :\u00A0&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;Can oil pulling reduce the buildup? One study indicates it\u2019s as effective for plaque-induced gingivitis as a common mouthwash ingredient, but there\u2019s no data yet on receding gums. &amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Whitening Teeth:\u00A0 &amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;If oil pulling can remove gunk from your mouth, whitening may make sense. Unfortunately, there isn\u2019t any published research on this, so all claims are anecdotal. &amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Preventing heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer\u2019s :&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;\u00A0It\u2019s a fact that poor oral health is linked to these problems (in fact, dentists often spot Type 2 diabetes before patients\u2019 doctors do). But there\u2019s no hard evidence that oil pulling can reduce your risk. \u00A0&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt; &amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Sjogren\u2019s syndrome:&amp;lt;em&amp;gt;\u00A0&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;In one small, informal experiment, oil pulling had some benefits for patients with Sjogren\u2019s syndrome, an autoimmune condition that damages salivary glands and causes dry mouth. &amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Removing toxins from the blood/body :&amp;lt;em&amp;gt;\u00A0&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;It may be in the realm of possibility for oil pulling to take toxins from the mouth, but oral fluids don\u2019t seem to be an exit from the bloodstream. So any oil in your mouth won\u2019t come into contact with blood, nor will it \u201Cextract\u201D anything from it. Needless to say: no data.&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;Why Oil Pulling May Be Worth a Try&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If you\u2019re the kind of person who &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/ways-youre-reading-nutrition-labels-wrong-1087840&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;3&amp;quot;&amp;gt;reads labels&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, you might be tempted to try oil pulling. \u00A0I was.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Major toothpaste and mouthwash products contain junk like triclosan, FD&amp;amp;amp;C colorings, and carbomer, chemicals we\u2019d never tolerate in food but still swish around our mouths.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;In many cases, such chemicals don\u2019t work as advertised. Some may be harmful to our health.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The alcohol in mouthwash actually makes your breath &amp;lt;em&amp;gt;worse&amp;lt;/em&amp;gt; over time. And the bleach in teeth whitening kits is more likely to damage your gums and tooth nerves than coconut oil.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;So now I do my oil pulling for 10 minutes every morning, while I get dressed and make my bed.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;I do think my breath is generally better, but since I also altered other aspects of my oral health routine, I can\u2019t chalk it up to oil pulling alone.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;I didn\u2019t expect sweeping changes. Rather, I was looking to improve my mouth care routine in total and nix unnecessary chemicals.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Mission accomplished!&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;h3&amp;gt;Want to Try It? Here\u2019s What to Do&amp;lt;/h3&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;There\u2019s no point in oil pulling if you can&amp;amp;#39;t get toothbrushing right. So start with the basics.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Brush at least twice a day with a good toothbrush, and floss twice, too. Use a toothpaste with simple ingredients, and &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/surprising-foods-for-healthy-teeth-1058971&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;4&amp;quot;&amp;gt;eat to support dental health. &amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If you\u2019re interested in oil pulling:&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Make sure it\u2019s right for you&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;. Especially if you have sensitive teeth or gum recession, check with your dentist.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Consider doing a before-and-after test&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;. See if your dentist notices a difference after a few months.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Experiment with oil type&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;. Coconut oil in particular may have antimicrobial properties.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Try adding other essential oils&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;. Many \u2014 like peppermint, thyme, lavender, tea tree, oregano, and basil \u2014 kill pathogens or stop bacteria from \u201Csticking.\u201D&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/li&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/ul&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;When it comes to dental health, you don&amp;amp;#39;t have to do it all at once. Figure out which small changes you can commit to now and start with those. You can build your routine up over time.\u00A0&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Sources\u00A0 \u00A0\u00A0\u00A0\u00A0 \u00A0\u00A0\u00A0 \u00A0 \u00A0\u00A0 \u00A0\u00A0\u00A0 \u00A0\u00A0\u00A0 \u00A0 \u00A0\u00A0 \u00A0\u00A0\u00A0 \u00A0\u00A0 \u00A0\u00A0&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Artemis N. Holistic dental care. 2013. North Atlantic Books.&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Asokan S, et al. Effect of oil pulling on halitosis and microoganisms causing halitosis: a randomized controlled pilot trial. 2011;29:90-94.&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Bulger J.&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://www.smilesensation.com/520/mouthwash-backfire/&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;externalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;5&amp;quot; rel=&amp;quot;nofollow&amp;quot;&amp;gt;\u00A0Dental Hygiene: Can mouthwash backfire on you?&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Edris, Amr E.&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://erbeofficinali.org/dati/nacci/studi/gli%20olii%20essenziali%20.pdf&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;externalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;6&amp;quot; rel=&amp;quot;nofollow&amp;quot;&amp;gt; Pharmaceutical and therapeutic potentials of essential oils and their individual volatile constituents: a review&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. Phytother Res. 2007 Apr;21(4):308-23.&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Singh A &amp;amp;amp; Purohit B. Tooth brushing, oil pulling and tissue regeneration: A review of holistic approaches to oral health. Journal of Ayurveda &amp;amp;amp; Integrative Medicine 2011;2:64-68.&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;Takarada, K. et al.&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.0902-0055.2003.00111.x/abstract&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;externalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;7&amp;quot;&amp;gt; A comparison of the antibacterial efficacies of essential oils against oral pathogens&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;. Oral Microbiology and Immunology 19 no.1 (February 2004): 61-64.&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<https://www.verywell.com/examining-the-benefits-of-oil-pulling-2328744>