1. Oil pulling can help with oral hygiene, getting rid of bad breath, reducing gum problems
2. The reason why the oil changes e.g from yellow sunflower oil to a white colour is because the oil is able to detoxify the body. There are some that say oil pulling is able to draw toxins from the main body not just the mouth and therefore help with allergies, eczema, diabetes, circulatory problems.
1. Oral Hygiene Claims - True
- One particular study from scientists in Thailand showed that coconut oil, sesame oil and sunflower oil did have specific antibacterial and antifungal effects (Asia Journal of Public Health, pp 62-22,2011). The link here is that dental caries are usually a result of low pH (acid foods including fruit) and bacteria in the mouth. Reduction of bacteria is a good thing in this instance.
-A study from India shows that oil pulling can reduce bad breath (Jjsppd, pp90-94, 2011). This was again linked to reduction of bacteria
2. Detoxifying Claims - Not Researched
I have scoured multiple places to find a link to oil pulling having a systemic effect on the body. The reference that many people picked to site was a review published in 2013 (Dental Hypotheses, pp 131-134, 2013) . This journal is often used as proof that oil pulling has a detoxifying effect on the whole body but the actual sentence in the journal does not refer to any research. It states:
'The proponents of oil pulling would agree and would add that oil pulling could have positive systemic effects on other, more serious conditions. They feel that toxins and bacteria from the body might be expelled through the tongue and trapped in the oil and removed from the body.'
This is just a statement of opinion not real data. It may or may not be true, it would be nice if it could be researched!
3. Why does the oil turn white?
My guess is that it is partly because you mix the oil with saliva which is mostly water and create an emulsion. Saliva does have stuff like enzymes and mucus which will actually help the emulsion be more stable than if you just mixed oil and water. Nonetheless, I did a little experiment and mixed water with oil and shook it for just 2 minutes.......I got an emulsion! This however does not take away the fact that oil pulling at the very least can help with oral hygiene, but it does not mean that you are pulling toxins out of your body......not until someone does the research!
|Making emulsions with oil pulling and just oil and water|
Are you oil pulling? Does it work for you?