Does Oil Pulling COCONUT OIL Even Work? | Dental Hygienist Explains
Summary
TLDRWhitney, a dental hygienist, discusses the practice of oil pulling with coconut oil, which is believed to reduce inflammation, combat cavities, and whiten teeth. Despite these claims, she warns of potential dangers like TMJ issues and plumbing clogs. Whitney emphasizes that oil pulling should not replace brushing and flossing, and while limited research suggests benefits like reducing harmful bacteria and gingival symptoms, more extensive studies are needed for endorsement. She advises caution, especially for those with jaw problems, and recommends spitting the oil into a trash bin to avoid plumbing issues.
Takeaways
- 🌴 Coconut oil pulling is a practice where solid coconut oil is melted in the mouth and swished around for oral health benefits.
- 🦷 It is claimed to reduce inflammation, help with dry mouth, remove harmful bacteria, combat cavities, and even whiten teeth.
- ⚠️ Oil pulling can cause strain on the jaw, leading to pain, joint stiffness, and headaches, especially with extended sessions.
- 🚫 Spitting coconut oil down the sink can clog pipes, similar to grease, so it should be disposed of in the trash.
- 🔄 Oil pulling should not replace brushing and flossing, as it cannot physically remove plaque like these methods can.
- 💡 Limited research suggests potential benefits, but there is no extensive evidence for dental experts or the American Dental Association to endorse it.
- 🦸♀️ Some studies show a reduction in harmful bacteria in the mouth after oil pulling, but it does not eliminate bacteria as effectively as brushing and flossing.
- 💧 Coconut oil's moisturizing properties may help alleviate symptoms of dry mouth, similar to its use on dry skin.
- 🕒 For oil pulling to be effective, it is recommended to swish for at least 20 minutes, which can be a time-consuming commitment.
- 👍 If considering oil pulling, ensure you do not have TMJ issues, do not spit the oil into the sink, and continue with regular dental hygiene practices.
Q & A
What is oil pulling and how is it performed?
-Oil pulling is a practice where you take coconut oil, which is solid at room temperature, and put it in your mouth. You don't eat it, but instead swish the oil around in your mouth for about 20 minutes, similar to using mouthwash, to pull the oil between your teeth.
What are the potential dangers of oil pulling mentioned in the script?
-The potential dangers of oil pulling include causing strain on the jaw joints, leading to jaw pain, joint stiffness, and even headaches and neck pain. Additionally, oil pulling can severely clog sinks and pipes if the oil is spat down the drain.
Is oil pulling meant to replace brushing and flossing?
-No, oil pulling is not meant to replace brushing or flossing. It should only be used to enhance tooth and gum health and is not a substitute for the mechanical removal of plaque that brushing and flossing provide.
What is the claim about oil pulling and teeth whitening?
-While oil pulling is not a whitening agent, it might help buffer stain prevention, which could make teeth appear whiter. However, this effect could also be due to the act of swishing and cleaning, similar to brushing.
Does oil pulling combat tooth decay according to the script?
-Some studies suggest that oil pulling may help reduce bacteria in the mouth, which could potentially combat tooth decay. However, reducing bacteria is not the only factor in preventing tooth decay, and there is no evidence that coconut oil can remineralize tooth enamel, which is necessary for preventing decay.
What does the script say about the effectiveness of oil pulling in reducing harmful bacteria?
-There is scientific research associating oil pulling with lowering the number of harmful bacteria in the mouth. However, it does not eliminate bacteria as effectively as brushing and flossing do.
How does oil pulling compare to chlorhexidine rinse in terms of reducing gum inflammation?
-Some studies have found a similar reduction in gingival symptoms when comparing coconut oil pulling to chlorhexidine rinse, a prescription mouthwash. However, chlorhexidine can cause tooth staining with prolonged use, while coconut oil does not.
What is the benefit of oil pulling for individuals with dry mouth?
-Oil pulling can be beneficial for those with dry mouth as coconut oil acts as a natural moisturizer, helping to alleviate symptoms such as dry or sticky tissues in the mouth and cracked, chipped lips.
What is the recommended duration for oil pulling to be effective?
-For oil pulling to be effective, it is recommended to swish the oil in the mouth for at least 20 minutes.
What is the final advice given in the script regarding oil pulling?
-The final advice is that while oil pulling may offer some benefits, it should not replace the mechanical removal of plaque through brushing and flossing. It is also advised not to perform oil pulling if one has TMJ issues or to spit the oil into the sink to avoid plumbing issues.
Outlines
🌴 Oil Pulling: Benefits and Considerations
Whitney, a dental hygienist, discusses the concept of oil pulling, specifically using coconut oil. Oil pulling involves swishing the oil in the mouth for about 20 minutes to reduce inflammation, dry mouth, and harmful bacteria, potentially combating cavities and whitening teeth. However, Whitney cautions that oil pulling is not a substitute for brushing and flossing, which are essential for physically removing plaque. She also warns against potential dangers such as strain on the jaw for those with TMJ issues and the risk of clogging pipes. The benefits mentioned are based on limited research, and while some suggest oil pulling can whiten teeth and reduce bacteria, there's no substantial evidence that it remineralizes tooth enamel or fully replaces the need for traditional oral hygiene practices.
🚫 Oil Pulling Precautions and Final Thoughts
In the second paragraph, Whitney reiterates the importance of not using oil pulling as a replacement for brushing and flossing, emphasizing that it should only be considered an additional oral health practice. She advises those with TMJ issues to avoid oil pulling due to the risk of exacerbating jaw pain and other related discomforts. Additionally, she stresses the need to dispose of the oil properly to prevent plumbing issues. Whitney concludes by encouraging individuals to make informed decisions about incorporating oil pulling into their oral care routine, provided they are aware of the associated risks and the lack of extensive scientific backing for its benefits.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Coconut Oil Pulling
💡Inflammation
💡Dry Mouth
💡Harmful Bacteria
💡Cavities
💡TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder)
💡Plaque
💡Chlorhexidine Rinse
💡Gingival Symptoms
💡Mechanical Removal of Plaque
Highlights
Coconut oil pulling is claimed to be beneficial for teeth by reducing inflammation, helping with dry mouth, removing harmful bacteria, combating cavities, and potentially whitening teeth.
Oil pulling involves swishing melted coconut oil in the mouth for about 20 minutes, similar to using mouthwash.
There are potential dangers of oil pulling, such as causing strain on the jaw and leading to TMJ issues, jaw pain, and headaches.
Oil pulling can clog sinks and pipes, so it's advised not to spit the oil down the drain.
Oil pulling should not replace brushing or flossing, as it cannot physically remove plaque like these methods can.
Limited research suggests potential benefits of oil pulling, but it's not enough for professional endorsement by dental experts or the American Dental Association.
Some people claim that oil pulling whitens teeth, possibly by buffering stain prevention, but it's not a proven whitening agent.
There is limited evidence that oil pulling might help reduce bacteria to prevent tooth decay, but it doesn't remineralize tooth enamel, which is crucial for decay prevention.
Research shows oil pulling can lower the number of harmful bacteria in the mouth, but it doesn't eliminate them as effectively as brushing and flossing.
A study comparing coconut oil to chlorhexidine rinse found a similar reduction in gingival symptoms, but oil pulling requires more time and effort.
Coconut oil pulling is beneficial for alleviating chronic dry mouth symptoms due to its natural moisturizing properties.
More reliable testing and in-depth research are needed to understand the actual effects of oil pulling on oral health.
If you decide to try oil pulling, ensure it's for at least 20 minutes to be effective, and be mindful of your jaw health and plumbing.
Remember that oil pulling is an additional benefit to your oral hygiene routine and does not replace the necessity of brushing and flossing.
Transcripts
i'm seeing that coconut oil pulling is
said to be good for your teeth it can
reduce inflammation help with dry mouth
remove harmful bacteria from your mouth
combat cavities it can even whiten your
teeth
hi everyone my name is whitney and i am
a dental hygienist here to talk about
whether or not oil pulling is beneficial
first off what is it oil pulling is
where you take coconut oil which is
salad at room temperature and put it in
your mouth you don't eat it but instead
your body's naturally warm temperature
melts the coconut oil into a liquid and
as that's happening you essentially pull
the coconut oil around in between your
teeth similar to the way you would if
you were swishing mouthwash around
however while it might seem safe since
it's coconut oil a pretty natural thing
right there are some oil pulling dangers
you need to be aware of before you ever
try this oil pulling danger number one
if you have tmj issues jaw trouble don't
be trying this oil pulling can really do
a number on your jaw since the benefits
of oil pulling which we'll talk about in
just a second tend to require at least a
good 20 minute switching session 20
minutes of
back and forth that's a lot of strain on
your jaw joints and that's the number
one negative side effect jaw pain joint
stiffness and even headaches and neck
pain because of the tension spreading
onto the adjacent muscles the other
danger is not a danger to you but a
danger to your house oil pulling can
severely clog your sinks and pipes so
just like you wouldn't want to pour
grease down the sink you shouldn't be
spitting coconut oil down the drain
either if you are going to oil pool be
sure you spit into the garbage okay then
so what are the benefits why are people
doing this and before i even talk about
the benefits though i really need to
make it clear that oil pulling is not
meant to replace brushing or flossing
just need to say that before we get into
this oil pulling should only be used to
enhance your tooth and gum health not to
replace anything it's just like
mouthwash in general just swishing with
something won't ever physically remove
plaque that's stuck on your teeth only
brushing and flossing can physically
remove plaque right so if a regular
mouthwash can't do it we really
shouldn't expect anything different from
coconut oil and that's why as of now
there really isn't any firm extensive
evidence to show the benefits of oil
pulling all these oil pulling benefits
i'm about to go over are based off of
extremely limited research yes the
little bit we have may suggest that
there could be potential benefits but it
just isn't enough for dental experts or
the american dental association to
professionally endorse it so with all
that being said let's start with the
first claim whitening some people say
that oil pulling makes their teeth
appear whiter while it isn't necessarily
any type of whitening agent or bleaching
agent the oil might help buffer stain
prevention which is why you might feel
your smile look brighter but also lots
of people feel their smile looks
brighter simply after brushing them as
well so it can't hurt to try it but it
will if you have jaw problems and next
up depending on who you ask some people
also swear that oil pulling combats
tooth decay because it may help reduce
bacteria inside of the mouth it's cool
i've seen some studies about this
however you have to read that claim
carefully it may help reduce bacteria to
prevent tooth decay while reducing
bacteria unfortunately is not the only
thing you need to combat tooth decay
remineralizing tooth enamel is what
really prevents tooth decay and we don't
have any evidence that there are any
properties inside of coconut oil to
remineralize enamel so i don't know
about that one but talking about
removing harmful bacteria there is
scientific research that shows oil
pulling being associated with lowering
the number of harmful bacteria inside
the mouth and from the one study that i
found providing this statement with
sufficient evidence participants
actually used sesame oil for oil pulling
instead of coconut oil and although yes
again with the way that it's worded the
harmful bacteria was lower after oil
pulling it wasn't eliminated oil pulling
didn't remove this harmful bacteria like
brushing and flossing does so really 20
minutes of oil pulling to maybe reduce
bacteria or two minutes of brushing and
maybe one minute of flossing to for sure
get rid of it i don't know
next up gum inflammation there have been
a few studies that were performed
comparing chlorhexidine rinse which is a
prescription mouthwash and coconut oil
and scientists found a similar reduction
of gingival symptoms this one was
actually a super promising finding
especially since chlorhexidine can cause
tooth staining if you use it for more
than a couple of weeks so that's cool
coconut oil doesn't stain but still this
is a pretty specific comparison since
not that many people get prescribed
chlorhexidine and also even if this is
you switching with chlorhexidine takes
less than a minute to do each day while
oil pulling requires swishing for
ideally 20 minutes at a time so i still
don't know again i would just be more
worried about your jaw in this case too
much swishing that'll hurt but lastly
let's talk about dry mouth of course oil
pulling is likely to be a great help
with dry mouth since coconut oil is a
natural moisturizer it can aid in
alleviating chronic dry mouth symptoms
including dry or sticky tissues in the
mouth as well as cracked chipped lips
just like you would rub it on your skin
when you have dry skin i'm down for this
one and all although there is potential
to say that coconut oil pulling helps
whiten teeth or help combat tooth decay
kind of or treat gum disease and
inflammation i'm okay with that one
there still needs to be more reliable
testing on a larger data sample for all
of these as well as more in-depth
research to understand the actual
mechanical reasons behind it so for now
the words may can and could seem to be
needed for nearly every oil pulling
claim but if you really want to try it
at home for whatever reason sure it
can't hurt anything except for your jaw
and maybe your plumbing so don't do it
if you have tmj issues and don't spit it
down your sink and if you're going to
try it just remember that all this
research that we've read it all alludes
to that it needs to be at least a solid
20 minutes of switching for it to be
effective so don't be wasting your time
and only switch for 30 seconds daily i
would assume nobody wants to be wasting
their time but again if you really like
it it makes you happy you do you and if
you remembered anything from this video
just remember that oil pulling
definitely does not replace the
mechanical removal plaque you still need
to brush and floss to remove bacteria
and debris from your teeth to properly
prevent both tooth decay and gum disease
oil pulling is just an added benefit
that you are welcome to add to your
routine if you really want to but please
remember don't do it if you have a sore
jaw how many times can i say that i hope
this video helped you please like and
subscribe and turn on your notifications
if it did and until next time i'll see
you on instagram at teeth talk girl and
if you want even more teeth talk you can
visit my website teethdocgirl.com peace
love and see
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