Oil Pulling

Oil pulling, also known as "kavala" or "gundusha," is an ancient Ayurvedic dental technique that involves swishing a tablespoon of cold pressed oil in your mouth on an empty stomach for around 20 minutes. This action supposedly draws out toxins in your body, primarily to improve oral health but also to improve your overall health.

Studies suggest that oil pulling can kill bacteria in the mouth and improve dental health. Some alternative medicine practitioners also claim that it can help treat several diseases.

Some types of oil also contain properties that can naturally reduce inflammation and bacteria to promote oral health.

The reported benefits include:

• Whiter teeth • Cavity and gingivitis prevention • Better breath (halitosis suffers also reported greatly improved morning breath) • Stronger teeth and gums • Less jaw pain (TMJ sufferers noted great improvement), sleep problems and sinus issues • Alleviation of headaches, hangovers and skin issues (reports have shown improvement in acne, psoriasis and eczema)

Two of the biggest benefits to oil pulling are how simple it is to do and how easily it can be incorporated into your daily regimen.

Additionally, it requires just one ingredient that can be found right in your kitchen the cold pressed oil, so there's no need to buy anything separately.

Traditionally, sesame oil has been used for oil pulling, but other types of oil can be used as well.

For example, coconut oil possesses strong anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that can be especially useful for oil pulling.

Oil pulling technique