Which to Use? Oils Used in Oil Pulling

Oil pulling is the practice of swishing oil in the mouth for a period of time to improve the health of teeth and gums. Oil pulling is making headlines and is becoming widely popular. It's interesting to note that it is in fact an Ayurvedic tradition from India that's been round for thousands of years. Let's have a look at the spectrum of options for oils used in oil pulling:

1. Sesame oil.
   • It has been used as a healing oil for thousands of years. In traditional Ayurveda, sesame oil is used for oil pulling, partly due to its penetrating, subtle effects and its ability to help carry other ingredients to the cells. It is mentioned in Ayurvedic texts as excellent for human health.
   • Furthermore, it is shown to have antibacterial effects on gingival plaque. An experiment by students at Iowa College showed an 85% reduction in bacteria that cause gingivitis.
   • Naturally anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant.
2. Sesame oil with plants and botanicals (per Ayurvedic texts).
   • This is the traditional Ayurvedic way of producing herbalized oils, where whole parts of plants (and not essential oils) are used to enhance the oil and create specific, balanced, holistic effects.
3. Sunflower oil.
   • Siberian shamans practiced oil pulling with sunflower oil for more than a century.
   • It's also a good source of Vitamin A and E.
4. Oil with added flavors.
   • There are some companies now adding essential oils to sesame or coconut oil, often for flavor, or anti-bacterial effects.

So, Which Oil Should You Choose? Per Ayurvedic tradition, DrTung's recommends the use of an organic sesame oil enhanced with plants and botanicals. The enhanced effects offer additional benefits that creates a unique synergy in the oral microbiome. Because of this, the enhanced oil can be used for a shortened period of time (e.g. 5-15 minutes, versus the standard 20 minutes that's recommended for other oils) because the oil itself is more efficient given its ingredients. People have their own preferences, and you can mix DrTung’s Oil Pulling Concentrate with organic sesame, sunflower or coconut oil. You may need to gently warm the coconut oil if it is below 76ºF to make it easier to mix. We suggest mixing the whole bottle of concentrate into the carrier oil so it is pre-mixed for your next oil pulling session. For more information on how to oil pull, click here.