Oil Clear

Heard about the practice of ‘oil pulling’ for oral care but still feeling unsure about its reliability? Here is everything you need to know about the same.

Born within the heart of the Indian subcontinent, the ancient system of Ayurveda has given us many practices to maintain good health, most of which are followed till date. One of them, which has been in existence for a very long time is Oil Pulling. Gundusha, the local label of the routine, is now only starting to attract interest worldwide.

Oil pulling is a technique of preventing and treating oral problems like plaque, gingivitis, bad breath and so on. Our mouth houses around hundreds and thousands of bacteria. While some of them are good for maintaining oral health, most of these microorganisms, especially ‘Streptococcus mutans’ cause problems like tooth decay and bleeding gums. Oil pulling is claimed to be super effective in extracting these bad bacteria from the mouth and promoting overall good health.

This practice involves swishing oil in your mouth for anything between 5 to 20 minutes. There are various types of oils that can be used in the process, the most popular being coconut, sesame and sunflower. The germs present in the mouth cling to the oil, get dissolved within it and are eventually ejected when one spits out the mixture. Under no circumstances, must the oil be swallowed as by doing that one will also be ingesting the harmful bacteria present in the oil.

This ritual has multiple benefits. Apart from good oral health, it also claims to boost the immune system and keep the energy level high. This is achieved by removing the germs from body before it enters the bloodstream, detoxifying the system in the process. Also, people across the globe have reported reduced cases of headaches and a beautiful white smile after they incorporated the practice in their lifestyle.

Though oil pulling still remains scientifically unproven, dentists have nothing negative to say about using the practice for oral hygiene. The only precaution that one must take is, to not see the technique as a replacement for the standard oral care practices such as brushing and flossing. In case if one experiences issues like dizziness or fatigue, immediately cease the exercise and consult your doctor. Also, absolutely avoid spitting out the oil in regular sinks as it can clog the pipeline.

We may not be a 100% sure of the practice, but with popular names like Gwyneth Paltrow and Shailene Woodley boasting about the effectiveness of oil pulling, it is definitely worth a try!

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