Monday, March 24, 2014

Oil Pulling: What is it, and is it Good for Your Teeth?

This week we have a guest post by Kara Vavrosky, RDH. Kara delves into the science of oil pulling, and gives us her professional opinion.
When you look around your cupboard or pantry you may find vegetable oil, olive oil, coconut oil, even sesame oil. Although generally used for cooking, imagine taking a spoonful of this oil and swishing it around your mouth for 20 minutes, twice a day. This ancient remedy for cleaning your mouth is called Oil Pulling and it has been taking the internet by storm as a natural and healthy alternative to brushing and flossing. There are many claims being made that Oil Pulling is an effective way to “pull” toxins from your body, which in turn helps prevent a wide range illnesses and symptoms like gum disease, migraines, bronchitis, blood clots, leukemia, arthritis, and heart disease, all while keeping your mouth fresh and clean. Sound too good to be true? Unfortunately, it may be.
Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic remedy for oral health and detoxification.  It involves the use of pure vegetable oils as agents for supposedly pulling harmful bacteria, fungus, and other organisms out of the mouth, teeth, gums, and even throat.  As a hygienist, I’d like to focus on the oral health benefit claims of oil pulling as a substitute for brushing and flossing.
Being a dental hygienist, my job is all about preventative dental care. Whenever there are claims of miracle treatments, a closer look is needed to verify these claims. First, we need to look at dental plaque. Dental plaque is a bacterial biofilm that forms a physical barrier around itself. The claim that oil pulling can break through this protective barrier is not only scientifically unproven, it runs counter to the most proven way of removing plaque – physical removal by brushing and flossing. Think of it this way, if you have a dirty car, is it more effective to clean it by just letting it sit in the rain and having water run over it, or by using a sponge to physically remove the dirt and grime?
Regarding the claims that oil pulling can cure gum disease, this too is scientifically unproven. Simply rinsing with mouthwash, oil, or any other liquid, has been proven to only reach 2 millimeters below the gumline. Most people have pockets that go more than 2mm below their gumline, usually much deeper when gum disease is present. The fact that liquid doesn’t go further than 2mm prevents a liquid alone from actually curing gum disease. The only scientifically proven way to remove toxins and cure gum disease is by mechanically removing plaque, like brushing and flossing.
Whenever claims are made for natural or ancient remedies it is important to look at them with a critical eye. Even when a study is referenced it is important to verify the contents of that study. There are many studies referenced in oil pulling articles, but upon further research those studies don’t contain any actual results proving the effectiveness of oil pulling.
As a dental professional, I can’t recommend oil pulling as a healthy alternative to brushing and flossing. Not only does brushing and flossing take much less time than oil pulling, it is the only scientifically proven way to effectively remove plaque. A healthy body starts with a healthy mouth, so until there is valid scientific research actually proving the claims of oil pulling, it is best to stick with what works: brushing and flossing.
Kara Vavrosky, RDH, is a Registered Dental Hygienist who graduated from the Oregon Institute of Technology. Currently practicing in Portland, Oregon, Kara places a strong emphasis on patient education. In addition to her daily clinical work, Kara also runs the popular Facebook page, Dental Hygiene with Kara RDH.
Cited from : http://blog.goodmouth.com/2014/03/20/oil-pulling-what-is-it-and-is-it-good-for-your-teeth/

No comments:

Post a Comment