Should You Actually Try Oil Pulling?

1 There Are Two Kinds of Oil Pulling

Oil pulling is a form of Ayurvedic medicine and has many followers. According to the experts, there are two ways to do oil pulling. The first is called kavala and involves holding the oil in your mouth for several minutes before swishing it and spitting it out. The other form of oil pulling, called gandusa, involves holding the oil in the mouth for several minutes, spitting it out and then repeating the process.

2 Other Liquids Can Sometimes Be Used

As the name suggests, oil pulling generally involves the use of oil, most often it’s coconut or sesame oil. However, some practitioners use other liquids, including honey, water or milk. What you use depends on what you’re using oil pulling for and what your doctor suggests is the best choice for you.

3 Oil Pulling is Often Recommended for Oral Hygiene

One of the most common uses of oil pulling is to clean out your mouth. The purpose is to kill icky bacteria, leaving your tongue, gums and teeth clean and healthy. While this may or may not be true, depending on who you talk to, most dentists caution against using oil pulling in place of traditional oral hygiene.

4 You Must Commit to Holding the Oil in Your Mouth for at Least 2 Minutes

It might not sound like a lot of time, but when you have a mouth full of coconut oil, you might be singing a different tune. Some experts say that it takes 40 minutes to reap the benefits of oil pulling, but others say that 2 to 5 minutes at a time is plenty to get the job done.

5 There Isn’t a Lot of Research Surrounding Oil Pulling

There is very limited research citing the benefits of oil pulling. For that reason, it pays to use caution and don’t have too high of expectations. This is a form of alternative medicine, so it has been around for a while. However, if you want firm evidence that it works, you might be looking for a while. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a try, but don’t expect miracles to happen.

6 There Can Be Negative Side Effects

Yes, there are many potential benefits of oil pulling, but the practice doesn’t come without its share of possible side effects. These can range in severity and you may have one or all of them to some degree if you practice oil pulling on a regular basis. They can include dry mouth, thirst, muscular stiffness, exhaustion and loss of feeling and taste in your mouth.

7 You Won’t See Benefits Right Away

Most people who have tried oil pulling have reported that the real results don’t make themselves known for a couple of months. Unlike brushing and flossing, in which you can see food removal and cleaner teeth right away, oil pulling is going to take some time to produce results. Be ready for that so you aren’t disappointed.

Have you ever tried oil pulling? Think you ever would? Want more info? Read this: cnn.com