- Oil pulling
-
Oil pulling or oil swishing, in alternative medicine, is a traditional Indian folk remedy that involves swishing oil in the mouth for claimed oral and systemic health benefits. It is mentioned in the Ayurvedic text Charaka Samhita where it is called Kavala Gandoosha / Kavala Graha.[1] It is also used to reduce enamel wear from stomach acid from vomiting.[citation needed]
Contents
Procedure
The practitioner rinses the mouth with approximately one tablespoon of oil (sesame and sunflower oils are the most recommended) for 15–20 minutes on an empty stomach (before eating/drinking) then spits it out.[2]
This process makes oil thoroughly mixed with saliva. As the process continues, the oil gets thinner and white. The oil is put in the mouth, with chin tilted up, and slowly swished, sucked, chomped and pulled through the teeth. The oil changes from yellow and oily consistency to a thick viscous consistency. A second round of oil pulling may be done with fresh oil for further cleansing. The oral cavity is then thoroughly rinsed and washed with normal tap water and fingers or tooth brush. This procedure is typically performed daily.
See also
References
- ^ Asokan S., Oil pulling therapy, Indian J Dent Res [serial online] 2008 [cited 2008 Jul 5];19:169. (retrieved 5 July 2008)
- ^ The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : The economics of success
External links
Categories:- Pseudoscience
- Biologically based therapies
- Alternative detoxification
- Ayurveda
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.