Does Oil Pulling Really Work?
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?
Work? 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.” 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.
Here 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” 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.
Also, 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 Claim | Claim Result |
|---|---|
| Whitens Teeth | Indirect Evidence |
| Improves Vision | Anecdotal |
| Prevents Gum Disease | Fact |
| Improves the Freshness of your Breath | Fact |
| Helps Alleviate Jaw Soreness and/or TMJ | Anectodal |
| Clears Up Skin Problems (including eczema) | Anecdotal |
| Treats Acne | Anecdotal |
| Fights Headaches and Migraines | Anecdotal |
| Eliminates (pulls out) Body Toxins | Misunderstood |
| Prevents Body Toxins From Being Absorbed | Fact |
| Reduces Stress on Liver | Bunk |
| Reduces Stress on Kidneys | Bunk |
| Balances Hormones | Anecdotal |
| Reduces Transmission Risk and Symptoms of the Herpes Virus | Fact |
| Reduces Allergies | Fact |
| Improves Brain Health | Check Back Soon |
| Cures Acute Osteoarthritis | Check Back Soon |
| Prevents Heart Disease | Check Back Soon |
| Eliminates Asthma | Check Back Soon |
| Clears up Bronchitis and Congestion | Check Back Soon |
| Reverses Tooth Decay | Check Back Soon |
| Prevents Teeth Cavities | Check Back Soon |
| Reduces Inflammation | Check Back Soon |
| Treats Throat Dryness (or thrush) | Check Back Soon |
| Heals Cracked Lips | Check Back Soon |
| Boosts Your Autoimmune System | Check Back Soon |
| Wipes Out Candida | Check Back Soon |
| Assists with Digestion | Check Back Soon |
| Moisturizes Skin | Check Back Soon |
| Scales Down Cellulite | Check Back Soon |
| Lessens Wrinkles and Age Spots | Check Back Soon |
| Longer Life (live to be 140 or 150) | Check Back Soon |
| Balances Blood Sugar | Check Back Soon |
| Increases HDL and Lowers LDL Cholesterol | Check Back Soon |
| Cures Thrombosis | Check Back Soon |
| Treats Ulcers | Check Back Soon |
| Diminishes Intestinal Disorders | Check Back Soon |
| Heals Encephalitis | Check Back Soon |
| Cures Meningitis | Check Back Soon |
| Chronic Blood Disease | Check Back Soon |
| Treats Paralysis | Check Back Soon |
| Reverses Nerve Diseases | Check Back Soon |
| Remedies Sleeplessness | Check Back Soon |
| Increases Energy | Check Back Soon |
| Provides a Potential Reduced Risk of Oral Cancer | Check Back Soon |
| Increases Protection from Colds and Flu | Check Back Soon |
| Helps Avoid Premature Birth | Check 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?
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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