Oil Swishing
With the Internet going wild over celebrities oil- pulling their way into good health, we decided to get experts to weigh in on the technique
Anushka Sharma recently shared a photo on her Instagram page of her oil- pulling, an age- old Ayurveda dental technique that not only cleanses oral cavity but also ‘ pulls’ out toxins from your body. Celebrities such as Miranda Kerr, Shilpa Shetty, Jacqueline Fernandes and Gwyneth Paltrow have been swishing it around the mouth in an effort to improve dental and gut health.
WHAT IS OIL PULLING?
Dr K. Seshi Kiran, Senior General Physician, Yashoda Hospitals, explains. “Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurveda practice of swishing plant- based oils in the mouth for long periods to produce health benefits. It is believed to cleanse oral cavities and also ‘ pulls’ out oral toxins from the body. The common oils used are sunflower, coconut and sesame seed oil,” he says.
Dr Janaki Badugu, a consultant nutritionist, adds to Dr Kiran’s explanations by pointing out the mechanism of oil pulling. “Pulling is a forcible act, which flushes out germs from one’s mouth and helps keep it clean. Once the bad germs go away, plaque does not form, thus also keeping the gums healthy,” she says,
adding “While the act of pulling is done, facial muscles may get activated which also helps in strengthening them.”
HOW IT’S DONE?
According to Megha Dinesh, a wellness expert, oil pulling is a kriya that has
The medium, be it cold press groundnut oil, cold press coconut oil, cold press almond oil, cow’s ghee, sesame oil, can be changed week after week. If there are any sorts of diseases, then the oil pulling has to be disease- specific — DR MICKEY MEHTA, holistic health guru/ corporate life coach
many health benefits, from addressing oral health to antiageing.
“It involves taking a mouth full of cold pressed oil, whether coconut or sesame or any other ( as long as it is cold- pressed) and swishing it in your mouth for 10 minutes at least before spitting it out without swallowing any of it. During the initial days, one could expect some soreness in the facial muscles. Needless to say this renews the energy and spirit level,” adds Megha.
IS IT USEFUL?
Oil pulling, all said and done, is a controversial practice. However, Dr K. Seshi Kiran insists that oil pulling is supposed to remove oil soluble to toxins from the oral cavity and hence prevent disease processes.
“It is also used for dental hygiene. It is supposed to strengthen gums, whiten teeth and eliminate plaque. And also for teeth joint issues. Some say it also may present cancer. Journals of dental research found that it may improve oral hygiene and reduce plaque formation and also bad breath. It may be as effective as a chlorhexidine mouthwash,” he says.
According to Dr Mickey Mehta, holistic health guru and corporate life coach, in many cases, it supports recovery along with other therapies or degenerative autoimmune diseases such as cancer, HIV and asthma although it needs to be done every day. “The medium, be it cold press groundnut oil, cold press coconut oil, cold press almond oil, cow’s ghee, sesame oil, can be changed week after week. If there are any sorts of diseases, then the oil pulling has to be disease-specific,” he adds.