Does Oil Pulling COCONUT OIL Even Work? | Dental Hygienist Explains

Summary

Whitney, 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

00:00

🌴 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.

05:02

🚫 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.

Keywords

💡Coconut Oil Pulling

Coconut oil pulling is the practice of swishing coconut oil in the mouth to purportedly improve oral health. In the video, Whitney, a dental hygienist, discusses the potential benefits and risks associated with this practice. It's described as a method that involves taking coconut oil, which is solid at room temperature, and swishing it around the mouth for about 20 minutes to reduce inflammation, combat cavities, and whiten teeth.

💡Inflammation

Inflammation refers to the body's natural response to irritation or injury. In the context of the video, it is suggested that coconut oil pulling may help reduce inflammation in the mouth, which could potentially alleviate symptoms associated with gum disease. The video mentions that while oil pulling might help with inflammation, it should not replace traditional oral hygiene practices.

💡Dry Mouth

Dry mouth, or xerostomia, is a condition where the mouth does not produce enough saliva, which can lead to discomfort and potential oral health issues. The video script suggests that coconut oil pulling could be beneficial for those suffering from dry mouth, as the oil acts as a natural moisturizer, helping to alleviate symptoms such as dry or sticky tissues and cracked lips.

💡Harmful Bacteria

Harmful bacteria in the mouth can lead to various dental issues, including tooth decay and gum disease. The video discusses the potential of coconut oil pulling to reduce the number of harmful bacteria in the mouth, although it does not eliminate them as effectively as brushing and flossing. The script highlights that while some studies show a reduction in harmful bacteria after oil pulling, it is not a substitute for proper dental care.

💡Cavities

Cavities, or dental caries, are holes in the teeth caused by decay. The video mentions that while some people believe oil pulling can combat cavities by reducing bacteria, it is not a proven method for preventing tooth decay. The script emphasizes that remineralizing tooth enamel is crucial for preventing cavities, and there is no evidence that coconut oil has this property.

💡TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder)

TMJ refers to a group of conditions that cause pain and dysfunction in the jaw joint and the muscles that control jaw movement. The video warns that oil pulling, which requires swishing the oil in the mouth for an extended period, can strain the jaw and potentially exacerbate TMJ issues, leading to jaw pain, joint stiffness, and even headaches and neck pain.

💡Plaque

Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on the teeth and can lead to tooth decay and gum disease if not removed. The video script clarifies that oil pulling cannot physically remove plaque from the teeth, unlike brushing and flossing. It is emphasized that while oil pulling might have some benefits, it should not replace the mechanical removal of plaque for effective oral hygiene.

💡Chlorhexidine Rinse

Chlorhexidine rinse is a prescription mouthwash known for its antimicrobial properties. In the video, Whitney compares the effects of chlorhexidine rinse to coconut oil pulling, noting that both show a similar reduction in gingival symptoms. However, the video points out that chlorhexidine can cause tooth staining with prolonged use, unlike coconut oil, and that oil pulling requires a longer time commitment compared to using chlorhexidine.

💡Gingival Symptoms

Gingival symptoms refer to signs of gum disease, which can include inflammation, redness, and bleeding of the gums. The video discusses studies that have compared the effectiveness of coconut oil pulling to chlorhexidine rinse in reducing these symptoms. It suggests that while there may be some benefits to oil pulling for gum health, it is not as efficient or proven as traditional treatments.

💡Mechanical Removal of Plaque

Mechanical removal of plaque is the process of physically removing the bacterial film from the teeth through brushing and flossing. The video script emphasizes that no amount of oil pulling can replace the necessity of mechanical plaque removal for maintaining good oral health. It is a critical aspect of dental care that is not addressed by oil pulling alone.

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

[Music]

[Music]