Does Oil Pulling Really Work?

Coconut Oil On Wooden Spoon
With all of the hype out there right now, I’m guessing you are like me and are wondering: Does Oil Pulling Really Work?

If you are wondering about a specific Oil Pulling claim, this article does provide the answer.

For each Claim this post shows you all of the research behind why any specific Claim is True or Not.  This article is the home page that points to separate pages (48 in all).  Each page goes into depth about whether Oil Pulling actually does provide that specific Oil Pulling Claim.

Use the table below to jump to the research for any of the 48 Oil Pulling Claims.

To answer the question of whether Oil Pulling Really Works, first we need to clarify the question.

What Does It Mean To Say Oil Pulling Works?

Finger Touch, Hook Check Mark HandWork?  What does work mean for this question?

So, our first task is to list the potential things Oil Pulling is trying to accomplish (or that some people claim it accomplishes) when users perform this ancient Ayurvedic procedure (or procedures).

Once we define the list of Oil Pulling Claims (made by many on the internet), we will go in depth into each claim and provide references that can prove the Claim.

If we don’t find enough evidence, we will let you know what evidence we found and possibly why that evidence was either misunderstood, or possible misused (likely to earn a buck).  Or, if the evidence really doesn’t directly prove the Claim, but that the evidence seems to be related.

The Top 48 Benefits of Oil Pulling

Our research has found that individuals have made the following claims regarding the benefits of Oil Pulling.

WOW!!!

Why wouldn’t anyone oil pull after reading that list.

It’s on the interwebs, so it HAS to be true.  Right!?!?

Lies.(or Damn Lies; Does Oil Pulling Really Work?)

“Lies.” by Rich Anderson (CC BY 2.0), via Flickr.com

Well, not so fast.  This might be a real shock to you.  But, not everything on the internet is actually true.

WHAT!?!?!?

I know, I know.

Calm down…

There is a lot of good and factual information on the internet.  You just have to look in the all the right places.

That’s what we are going to do in this series of articles.  We are going on a digging adventure to try and prove, clarify and/or expose each of these claims.

Right here…  Right now…

In this table is the list of things that various people CLAIM that Oil Pulling can provide, cure, eliminate, you name it.

Our research results are on the right side of the table.  Click on each link on the left to see the detailed analysis and how we came to our conclusions to the question of Does Oil Pulling Really Work?

Truth? Misrepresentation? or Bunk?

What we are going to do in this series of articles that asks Does Oil Pulling Really Work?,  is to go through each of these Claims in detail and either provide science that backs up the Claim, clarify the claim (many are just misrepresentations of loosely tied together facts), or name the Claim as BOGUS.

Also, if a specific Oil is best for the specific claim, we’ll be sure to point that out.

Button Check, OK, Protect SecurityHere is a list of what Results we will discover for each claim:

  • Fact
  • Indirect Evidence
  • Misunderstood
  • Anecdotal
  • Bunk

Our method for finding out the truth for each Claim will be:

  • Search for each Claim for ‘.gov’ sites on Google
  • Look for each Claim for ‘.edu’ sites on Google
  • Search for ‘.gov’ in Google Scholar
  • Look for ‘.edu’ in Google Scholar
  • Search for the Claim normally in Google

Our Process…

Truth

“Truth” by Mike Roberts (CC BY 2.0), via Flickr.com

If there are results in the top 20, and the information is credible and provides research references, we’ll use that information as Fact.

If there isn’t direct evidence of the claim, but there is indirect evidence, we’ll try to explain the connections between the indirect Facts and the Claim and mark the claim as Indirect Evidence.

For claims which we believe there is misinformation about the claim, we will explain our thoughts on why we believe the Claim should be labelled as Misunderstood, and try to show references that back our understanding.

If all we find are individual’s stories about the Claim working, we’ll mark the claim as Anecdotal.

For Bunk, if we find results that actually contradict the claim, we’ll explain those results and give references.  Or, if we only find sites that make the claim and don’t provide references or data to back it up, the Claim gets a Bunk label.

To Pull, or Not to Pull?  That is the Question…

So, YES, oil pulling may help your heart, gingivitis, migraine or whatever – just don’t expect the miracles that many of these websites are promising.  And, don’t even expect your dental health to improve overnight.

Risk, Word Letters, Boggle GameAlso, oil pulling is not without risk.  To understand possible risks of oil pulling, read our article about oil pulling side effects.

Even though there are risks, we believe the risks are low.  We do want to point out that we are not doctors here at Dazzling White Teeth HQ.  So, be sure to consult with your doctor and/or dentist before making changes in your diet or oral health practices.

During our research, we did find that some of the claims that are being made about Oil Pulling are Fact.  If you do decide to give Oil Pulling a try, make sure you double check to see if any new testing has been performed.

Results Of Our Research

THE Oil Pulling Myth Buster Table

Oil Pulling ClaimClaim Result
Whitens TeethIndirect Evidence
Improves VisionAnecdotal
Prevents Gum DiseaseFact
Improves the Freshness of your BreathFact
Helps Alleviate Jaw Soreness and/or TMJAnectodal
Clears Up Skin Problems (including eczema)Anecdotal
Treats AcneAnecdotal
Fights Headaches and MigrainesAnecdotal
Eliminates (pulls out) Body ToxinsMisunderstood
Prevents Body Toxins From Being AbsorbedFact
Reduces Stress on LiverBunk
Reduces Stress on KidneysBunk
Balances HormonesAnecdotal
Reduces Transmission Risk and Symptoms of the Herpes VirusFact
Reduces AllergiesFact
Improves Brain HealthCheck Back Soon
Cures Acute OsteoarthritisCheck Back Soon
Prevents Heart DiseaseCheck Back Soon
Eliminates AsthmaCheck Back Soon
Clears up Bronchitis and CongestionCheck Back Soon
Reverses Tooth DecayCheck Back Soon
Prevents Teeth CavitiesCheck Back Soon
Reduces InflammationCheck Back Soon
Treats Throat Dryness (or thrush)Check Back Soon
Heals Cracked LipsCheck Back Soon
Boosts Your Autoimmune SystemCheck Back Soon
Wipes Out CandidaCheck Back Soon
Assists with DigestionCheck Back Soon
Moisturizes SkinCheck Back Soon
Scales Down CelluliteCheck Back Soon
Lessens Wrinkles and Age SpotsCheck Back Soon
Longer Life (live to be 140 or 150)Check Back Soon
Balances Blood SugarCheck Back Soon
Increases HDL and Lowers LDL CholesterolCheck Back Soon
Cures ThrombosisCheck Back Soon
Treats UlcersCheck Back Soon
Diminishes Intestinal DisordersCheck Back Soon
Heals EncephalitisCheck Back Soon
Cures MeningitisCheck Back Soon
Chronic Blood DiseaseCheck Back Soon
Treats ParalysisCheck Back Soon
Reverses Nerve DiseasesCheck Back Soon
Remedies SleeplessnessCheck Back Soon
Increases EnergyCheck Back Soon
Provides a Potential Reduced Risk of Oral CancerCheck Back Soon
Increases Protection from Colds and FluCheck Back Soon
Helps Avoid Premature BirthCheck Back Soon

Conclusions: Does Oil Pulling Really Work?

Our non-professional opinion is that with all of the evidence, we feel that Oil Pulling is something worth a try.  Our personal Oil of choice is Coconut Oil.

If you are suffering from an ailment that Oil Pulling claims to help, it probably wouldn’t hurt to give it a try.  Either Oil Pulling does in Fact help.  Or, the Indirect Evidence, is working as a placebo.  Or, the Indirect Evidence is actually helping them.

For the Oil Pulling Claims above that are not listed as Fact, it could very well be that the scientific community just hasn’t gotten around to do the testing for the specific Claim.

Do You Want the BEST Oil Pulling Product?

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Remember that real healing takes time – and it sometimes can also require a comprehensive approach which includes nutritional foods and detoxification.  So, if you do give Oil Pulling a try, be sure to give it at least 3 to 6 months to really work.

Now it’s your turn.  Let us know about your Oil Pulling experiences.  Did it helps with any of the Claims above?  What Oil did you use?  How long before you saw results (or how long before you gave up after not seeing results)?

And remember, you can always come back here to check for updates on the evidence whenever you ask yourself Does Oil Pulling Really Work?


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