It has been said to reduce cavities, whiten teeth and minimize bad breath. Here’s what the research suggests.
In a video on TikTok, a woman scoops a heaping spoonful of solid coconut oil out of a jar and stuffs it into her mouth. She explains how she swishes the oil around — pushing and pulling it between her teeth — for about 10 minutes. Then, she spits it into the trash. She does this two to three times a week, she said.
The practice, called oil pulling, has roots in the ancient Indian medical system known as Ayurveda, and typically involves swishing an edible oil such as coconut, olive, sunflower or sesame oil around in the mouth for five to 20 minutes, and then spitting it out. It has been said to prevent gingivitis, cavities and gum recession, whiten teeth, and promote a healthy oral microbiome.
Some dental professionals are skeptical. “There is no scientific proof of any benefits of oil pulling,” said Dr. Parul Dua Makkar, a dentist in Jericho, N.Y. “I don’t recommend it at all.”
The Rationale
It’s reasonable to think that swishing oil around your mouth could help your oral health. In theory, the viscous properties of oil could coat the surfaces of the mouth, preventing bacteria from adhering and growing there, said Dr. Deborah Foyle, a periodontist at Texas A&M University School of Dentistry.
The antioxidant properties of the oil could also hypothetically interact with bad bacteria in ways that could slow their growth and reduce gum inflammation, she noted.
But it’s unclear if this would boost oral health. In a 2022 analysis of nine small clinical trials, researchers concluded that oil pulling could indeed help reduce the bacteria in the mouth, but that it does not reduce plaque (the sticky film of bacteria that adheres to teeth), gum redness, inflammation or bleeding.