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{{short description|An alternative medical practice without proven benefit, in which oil is "swished" around the mouth.}}
{{short description|Alternative medical practice without proven benefit, in which oil is "swished" around the mouth.}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Alternative medicine sidebar |fringe}}
{{Alternative medicine sidebar |fringe}}
{{Redirect|Oil pull|the tractor|Rumely Oil Pull}}


'''Oil pulling''' is an [[alternative medicine|alternative medical]] practice in which an [[cooking oil|edible oil]] is swished around the mouth for a period of time and then spit out, similar to [[mouthwash]].<ref name="king">{{cite journal |pmid=29651060|journal=British Dental Journal |volume=224|issue=7|page=470|title=Bad science: Oil pulling|author=King A|date=13 April 2018|doi=10.1038/sj.bdj.2018.281}}</ref> There is no evidence to support the claims made for the benefits of oil pulling.<ref name=king/><ref name=SBM/><ref name=lipids/><ref name=sr/>
Oil pulling is an [[Alternative medicine|alternative medical]] practice in which an [[edible oil]] is swished around the mouth for a period of time and then spat out, similar to [[Mouthwash#Edible oils|mouthwash]].<ref name="king">{{cite journal |pmid=29651060|journal=British Dental Journal |volume=224|issue=7|page=470|title=Bad science: Oil pulling|author=King A|date=13 April 2018|doi=10.1038/sj.bdj.2018.281|s2cid=4808148 }}</ref> It originates from [[Ayurvedic medicine]].


Practitioners of oil pulling claim it is capable of improving oral and whole-body health, including a benefit in conditions such as [[headache]]s, [[migraine]]s, [[diabetes mellitus]], [[asthma]], and [[acne vulgaris|acne]], as well as [[Tooth whitening|whitening teeth]].<ref name="Butler2014">{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/03/20/everyone-is-talking-about-oil-pulling-but-does-this-health-practice-actually-work/ |date=20 March 2014 |title=Everyone is talking about 'oil pulling.' But does this health practice actually work? |last=Butler |first=Bethonia |website=The Washington Post }}</ref> Its promoters claim it works by ''pulling'' out [[toxin]]s, which are known as ''[[ama (ayurveda)|ama]]'' in [[Ayurveda]],<ref name=king/> but there is no credible evidence to support this.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/oil-pulling |title=Should You Try Oil Pulling? |last=Oakley |first=Colleen |date=4 June 2014 |website=WebMD |access-date=21 March 2018}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{cite journal | vauthors = Amruthesh S | title = Dentistry and Ayurveda - IV: classification and management of common oral diseases | journal = Indian Journal of Dental Research | volume = 19 | issue = 1 | pages = 52–61 | year = 2008 | pmid = 18245925 | doi = 10.4103/0970-9290.38933 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name="auto3">{{cite web |url=http://www.baltimoremagazine.com/2014/6/6/what-is-oil-pulling |title=Oil Spill |last=Marion |first=Jane |date=June 2014 |website=[[Baltimore (magazine)|Baltimore Magazine]] |publisher=Rosebud Entertainment |access-date=21 March 2018}}</ref>
Practitioners of oil pulling claim it is capable of improving oral health.<ref name="Butler2014">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/03/20/everyone-is-talking-about-oil-pulling-but-does-this-health-practice-actually-work/ |date=20 March 2014 |title=Everyone is talking about 'oil pulling.' But does this health practice actually work? |last=Butler |first=Bethonia |newspaper=The Washington Post }}</ref> Its promoters claim it works by [[Detoxification (alternative medicine)|''pulling'' out toxins]],<ref name=king/> but there is no credible evidence to support this.<ref name=king/><ref name=SBM/><ref name=lipids/><ref name=sr/>


==History==
==History==
⚫
Oil pulling stems from traditional [[Ayurvedic medicine]],<ref name=king/><ref name=Puri_2015>Puri, Nividita (2015) "Holistic Approach of Oil Pulling in the Dental World: a literature review". ''The Dental Assistant'' 20–23</ref><ref name="BronsonGray2014">{{cite web|url=http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/news/20140418/oil-swishing-craze-snake-oil-or-all-purpose-remedy |last=Bronson Gray |first=Barbara |title=Oil-Swishing Craze |date=18 April 2014 |website=WebMD}}</ref><ref name="Cheshire2014">{{cite web |last=Cheshire |first=Sara |date=6 August 2014 |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/06/health/oil-pulling |title=Does oil pulling work? |website=CNN |publisher=Turner Broadcasting System}}</ref> whose practitioners may use [[sunflower oil]], [[olive oil]], or other [[essential oil|herbal oil]]s instead of [[coconut oil]].<ref name=king/><ref name=Mulson2014>{{cite web |url=http://gazette.com/live-well-oil-pulling-draws-fans-skeptics-in-colorado-springs/article/1535792 |title=Live Well: Oil pulling draws fans, skeptics in Colorado Springs |last=Mulson |first=Jennifer |date=19 August 2014 |website=The Gazette |location=[[Colorado Springs, Colorado]] |access-date=5 September 2014 |archive-date=23 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140823044203/http://gazette.com/live-well-oil-pulling-draws-fans-skeptics-in-colorado-springs/article/1535792 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

⚫
Oil pulling stems from traditional [[Ayurvedic medicine]],<ref name=king/><ref name=Puri_2015>Puri, Nividita (2015) "Holistic Approach of Oil Pulling in the Dental World: a literature review". ''The Dental Assistant'' 20–23</ref><ref name="BronsonGray2014">{{cite web|url=http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/news/20140418/oil-swishing-craze-snake-oil-or-all-purpose-remedy |last=Bronson Gray |first=Barbara |title=Oil-Swishing Craze |date=18 April 2014 |website=WebMD}}</ref><ref name="Cheshire2014">{{cite web |last=Cheshire |first=Sara |date=6 August 2014 |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2014/08/06/health/oil-pulling |title=Does oil pulling work? |website=CNN |publisher=Turner Broadcasting System}}</ref> whose practitioners may use [[sunflower oil]] or other [[essential oil|herbal oil]]s instead of [[coconut oil]].<ref name=king/><ref name=Mulson2014>{{cite web |URL = https://helptheneedycreature.blogspot.com/2020/08/ayurveda-oil-pulling-therapy-benefits.html|title=Ayurveda oil pulling therapy: Benefits or Myth |date=13 August 2020 |location=[[Vadodra, India]]}}</ref>{{date=Aug 2020}}


==Criticism==
==Criticism==
⚫
There is no [[evidence-based medicine|high-quality research]] on oil pulling,<ref name=king/><ref name="SBM">{{cite web|last1=Novella|first1=Steven|author-link1=Steven Novella|title=Oil Pulling Your Leg|url=https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/oil-pulling-your-leg/|website=Science Based Medicine|access-date=22 April 2017|date=12 March 2014|quote=Oil pulling is a suggestive misnomer, implying that something bad is being pulled from the mouth (toxins and bacteria). What little scientific evidence exists shows that it is probably not as effective as standard [[mouth wash]], and what benefit it has is likely entirely due to the mechanical act of swishing to remove particles and bacteria from teeth and gums ... Oil pulling for general health or any other indication is pure [[pseudoscience]]. [[Detoxification (alternative medicine)|Detox claim]]s are based on nothing, as are all detox claims. There is no evidence or plausible rationale to recommend oil pulling for any indication other than as a poor substitute for [[oral care]].}}</ref><ref name=sr>{{cite journal | vauthors = Gbinigie O, Onakpoya I, Spencer E, McCall MacBain M, Heneghan C | title = Effect of oil pulling in promoting oro dental hygiene: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials | journal = Complementary Therapies in Medicine | volume = 26 | pages = 47–54 | date = June 2016 | pmid = 27261981 | doi = 10.1016/j.ctim.2016.02.011 | type = Review | quote = To the best of our knowledge this is the first systematic review assessing the effect of oil pulling on oro dental hygiene. The results should be interpreted with caution because of the small number of included studies. Furthermore, the included studies were not adequately powered, and small sample sized studies could lead to misleading results }}</ref> no understanding of a possible mechanism explaining how it would work,<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.4103/2155-8213.122675 |title=Perspectives of oil pulling therapy in dental practice |journal=Dental Hypotheses |volume=4 |issue=4 |pages=131–134 |year=2013 |last1=Lakshmi |first1=T |last2=Rajendran |first2=R |last3=Krishnan |first3=Vidya |doi-access=free }}</ref> and no evidence that it provides any benefit.<ref name=king/><ref name=lipids>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kensche A, Reich M, Kümmerer K, Hannig M, Hannig C | title = Lipids in preventive dentistry | journal = Clinical Oral Investigations | volume = 17 | issue = 3 | pages = 669–685 | date = April 2013 | pmid = 23053698 | doi = 10.1007/s00784-012-0835-9 | s2cid = 30589353 | type = Review }}</ref><ref name=sr/> The [[American Dental Association]] agrees that there are no reliable scientific studies supporting the practice of oil pulling for any benefit to oral hygiene or overall wellbeing.<ref name="ADAOilPulling">{{cite web |title=Oil Pulling |url=https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/o/oil-pulling |publisher=American Dental Association}}</ref>


⚫
The [[Canadian Dental Association]] assessed the practice of oil pulling in 2014 stating: "We sense oil pulling won't do any harm, we're not convinced there are any particular benefits to it."<ref name="CBC News">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/oil-pulling-ancient-practice-now-a-modern-trend-1.2664794|author=Anna Lazowski|date=5 June 2014|title=Oil pulling: Ancient practice now a modern trend|publisher=[[CBC News]]|access-date=10 June 2014}}</ref>
⚫
There is no [[evidence-based medicine|high-quality]] research on oil pulling,<ref name=king/><ref name=sr>{{cite journal | vauthors = Gbinigie O, Onakpoya I, Spencer E, McCall MacBain M, Heneghan C | title = Effect of oil pulling in promoting oro dental hygiene: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials | journal = Complementary Therapies in Medicine | volume = 26 | issue = | pages = 47–54 | date = June 2016 | pmid = 27261981 | doi = 10.1016/j.ctim.2016.02.011 | type = Review | quote = To the best of our knowledge this is the first systematic review assessing the effect of oil pulling on oro dental hygiene. The results should be interpreted with caution because of the small number of included studies. Furthermore, the included studies were not adequately powered, and small sample sized studies could lead to misleading results }}</ref> no understanding of a possible mechanism explaining how it would work,<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.4103/2155-8213.122675 |title=Perspectives of oil pulling therapy in dental practice |journal=Dental Hypotheses |volume=4 |issue=4 |pages=131–4 |year=2013 |last1=Lakshmi |first1=T |last2=Rajendran |first2=R |last3=Krishnan |first3=Vidya |doi-access=free }}</ref> and no evidence that it provides any benefit.<ref name=king/><ref name=lipids>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kensche A, Reich M, Kümmerer K, Hannig M, Hannig C | title = Lipids in preventive dentistry | journal = Clinical Oral Investigations | volume = 17 | issue = 3 | pages = 669–85 | date = April 2013 | pmid = 23053698 | doi = 10.1007/s00784-012-0835-9 | type = Review }}</ref><ref name=sr/> The [[American Dental Association]] agrees that there are no reliable scientific studies supporting the practice of oil pulling for any benefit to oral hygiene or overall wellbeing.<ref name="ADAOilPulling">{{cite web |title=Oil Pulling |url=https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/o/oil-pulling |publisher=American Dental Association}}</ref>

⚫
The [[Canadian Dental Association]] assessed the practice of oil pulling in 2014 stating: "We sense oil pulling won't do any harm, we're not convinced there are any particular benefits to it."<ref name="CBC News">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/oil-pulling-ancient-practice-now-a-modern-trend-1.2664794|author=Anna Lazowski|date=5 June 2014|title=Oil pulling: Ancient practice now a modern trend|publisher=[[CBC News]]|access-date=10 June 2014}}</ref> The Canadian Dental Association concluded:

{{Quote|text=Oil pulling is a suggestive misnomer, implying that something bad is being pulled from the mouth (toxins and bacteria). What little scientific evidence exists shows that it is probably not as effective as standard [[mouth wash]], and what benefit it has is likely entirely due to the mechanical act of swishing to remove particles and bacteria from teeth and gums ... Oil pulling for general health or any other indication is pure [[pseudoscience]]. [[Detoxification (alternative medicine)|Detox claim]]s are based on nothing, as are all detox claims. There is no evidence or plausible rationale to recommend oil pulling for any indication other than as a poor substitute for [[oral care]].<ref name="SBM">{{cite web|last1=Novella|first1=Steven|authorlink1=Steven Novella|title=Oil Pulling Your Leg|url=https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/oil-pulling-your-leg/|website=Science Based Medicine|access-date=22 April 2017|date=12 March 2014}}</ref>}}


== See also ==
== See also ==
* [[Traditional medicine]]
* [[Traditional medicine]]
* [[List of topics characterized as pseudoscience]]
* [[List of topics characterized as pseudoscience]]
* [[Mouthwash#Edible oils|Mouthwash]]


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
<!-- Please do not add oilpulling.com due to WP:V WP:RS.-->
<!-- Please do not add oilpulling.com due to WP:V WP:RS.-->
* {{Skeptoid | id=4409 | number= 409| title= Oil Pulling| date= April 8, 2014 | access-date=}}


{{Naturopathy}}
{{Naturopathy}}

Latest revision as of 03:29, 16 March 2024

Part of a series on
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"Oil pull" redirects here. For the tractor, see Rumely Oil Pull.

Oil pulling is an alternative medical practice in which an edible oil is swished around the mouth for a period of time and then spat out, similar to mouthwash.[1] It originates from Ayurvedic medicine.

Practitioners of oil pulling claim it is capable of improving oral health.[2] Its promoters claim it works by pulling out toxins,[1] but there is no credible evidence to support this.[1][3][4][5]

History

[edit]

Oil pulling stems from traditional Ayurvedic medicine,[1][6][7][8] whose practitioners may use sunflower oil, olive oil, or other herbal oils instead of coconut oil.[1][9]

Criticism

[edit]

There is no high-quality research on oil pulling,[1][3][5] no understanding of a possible mechanism explaining how it would work,[10] and no evidence that it provides any benefit.[1][4][5] The American Dental Association agrees that there are no reliable scientific studies supporting the practice of oil pulling for any benefit to oral hygiene or overall wellbeing.[11]

The Canadian Dental Association assessed the practice of oil pulling in 2014 stating: "We sense oil pulling won't do any harm, we're not convinced there are any particular benefits to it."[12]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g King A (13 April 2018). "Bad science: Oil pulling". British Dental Journal. 224 (7): 470. doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.2018.281. PMID 29651060. S2CID 4808148.
  2. ^ Butler, Bethonia (20 March 2014). "Everyone is talking about 'oil pulling.' But does this health practice actually work?". The Washington Post.
  3. ^ a b Novella, Steven (12 March 2014). "Oil Pulling Your Leg". Science Based Medicine. Retrieved 22 April 2017. Oil pulling is a suggestive misnomer, implying that something bad is being pulled from the mouth (toxins and bacteria). What little scientific evidence exists shows that it is probably not as effective as standard mouth wash, and what benefit it has is likely entirely due to the mechanical act of swishing to remove particles and bacteria from teeth and gums ... Oil pulling for general health or any other indication is pure pseudoscience. Detox claims are based on nothing, as are all detox claims. There is no evidence or plausible rationale to recommend oil pulling for any indication other than as a poor substitute for oral care.
  4. ^ a b Kensche A, Reich M, Kümmerer K, Hannig M, Hannig C (April 2013). "Lipids in preventive dentistry". Clinical Oral Investigations (Review). 17 (3): 669–685. doi:10.1007/s00784-012-0835-9. PMID 23053698. S2CID 30589353.
  5. ^ a b c Gbinigie O, Onakpoya I, Spencer E, McCall MacBain M, Heneghan C (June 2016). "Effect of oil pulling in promoting oro dental hygiene: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials". Complementary Therapies in Medicine (Review). 26: 47–54. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2016.02.011. PMID 27261981. To the best of our knowledge this is the first systematic review assessing the effect of oil pulling on oro dental hygiene. The results should be interpreted with caution because of the small number of included studies. Furthermore, the included studies were not adequately powered, and small sample sized studies could lead to misleading results
  6. ^ Puri, Nividita (2015) "Holistic Approach of Oil Pulling in the Dental World: a literature review". The Dental Assistant 20–23
  7. ^ Bronson Gray, Barbara (18 April 2014). "Oil-Swishing Craze". WebMD.
  8. ^ Cheshire, Sara (6 August 2014). "Does oil pulling work?". CNN. Turner Broadcasting System.
  9. ^ Mulson, Jennifer (19 August 2014). "Live Well: Oil pulling draws fans, skeptics in Colorado Springs". The Gazette. Colorado Springs, Colorado. Archived from the original on 23 August 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  10. ^ Lakshmi, T; Rajendran, R; Krishnan, Vidya (2013). "Perspectives of oil pulling therapy in dental practice". Dental Hypotheses. 4 (4): 131–134. doi:10.4103/2155-8213.122675.
  11. ^ "Oil Pulling". American Dental Association.
  12. ^ Anna Lazowski (5 June 2014). "Oil pulling: Ancient practice now a modern trend". CBC News. Retrieved 10 June 2014.

Further reading

[edit]
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