What is oil pulling? Experts warn against coconut oil oral health hack

‘You can’t retire your toothbrush just yet’

Olivia Hebert Los AngelesTuesday 30 July 2024 15:37

TikTok users tout oil pulling as the latest oral health hack, but experts are skeptical of the benefits.

In a viral video on TikTok, health influencer Ella Henry shared a dental hack with viewers in which she stuffed her mouth with a spoonful of coconut oil and swished it around her teeth for 10 minutes. As she swished the liquid around her mouth, the liquid was pushed and pulled between the teeth, hence the hack’s namesake. Once she finished swishing, she spit the oil into the trash.

For two to three times a week, Henry practices “oil pulling,” a method she noted in the caption is an “ancient [Ayurvedic] practice that has been around for a thousand years.” Ayurveda – an alternative medicine system with historical roots in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka – is reportedly practiced by 80 percent of the Indian subcontinent population to this day.

According to Ayurvedic medicine, people can practice oil pulling with a variety of edible oils, including coconut, olive, sunflower, or sesame oil. The method is believed to prevent gingivitis, cavities, and gum recession, as well as whiten teeth, and enhance the oral microbiome.

Dentists remain skeptical of these alleged benefits, noting that there is no scientific research that verifies any of Ayurvedic medicine’s claims.