Oil pulling or oil swishing is a traditional remedy that has been in practice for a very long time about 5000 BCE, the way and process is mention in the Ayurveda literature called Charaka Samhita.



It is ancient literature that outlines the usefulness of this traditional Indian medicine for various ailments, it also includes process on how to prevent tooth decay, bleeding gums, gums, strengthening of teeth and jaws and other ailments related to oral care such as dryness of throat, cracked lips and halitosis (oral malodor).

Oil pulling is a therapy that came from ancient medical times and even today it is in practice. It includes various methods such as rinsing or swishing with edible oil, to prevent and manage oral conditions related to tooth decay, gingivitis, halitosis, and xerostomia. It describes how well-refined plant oil such as sunflower, sesame, coconut oil, and olive can be used.

The sesame oil is the most common oil used in this therapy due to its nutritional qualities, palatable taste, and various health benefits.

Ayurvedic View On Oral Health

Ayurveda has described the detailed procedure of dental health care in the oldest book called Charaka Samhita and later in Sushruta Samhita.

According to Ayurveda ( Shalyatantra and Shalakyatantra the branches of Ayurveda), there are 65 varieties of oral diseases described that can arise in seven anatomical locations such as 8 in the lips, 15 in the alveolar ridge, 8 in relation to the teeth, 5 in the language, 9 in the palate, 17 in the oropharynx and 3 in a generalized form.

In Ayurveda, dental health care is known as “Swasthya tapir” it is a Sanskrit word. As per Ayurveda health care or medication is given as per the individualistic, varying with the constitution of each person known as “Prakriti”.

The other factor like climatic changes, planetary influences like solar, lunar also affects the person’s body. It also describes that the constitution of the body is classified on the predominance of one or more of the three doshas known as Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

The doshas dominance in the individual and nature’s determination is taken into consideration for health care in Ayurveda. Oil Pulling is widely used as a remedy for the centuries for the prevention and cure of decay, oral malodor, for bleeding gums, throat dry, chapped lips and teeth strengthening, gums and jaw.

Brushing is contraindicated in cases of indigestion, mouth ulcers, fever, those who tend to vomit, and other ailments such as coughs, asthma. Oil Pulling is recommended to clean the oral cavity, which is usually done with oils such as sunflower oil, coconut oil, or sesame oil.

Various Gums Diseases Described In Ayurveda

Sheethada (scurvy, gingivitis) Dantha pupputaka (gingival abscess, periapical or dentoalveolar abscess) Dantha vestak (periodontal abscess) Upakusha (periodontitis) Dantha vydarbha (allergic gingivitis) Vardana (supernumerary tooth) Adhimamsa (pericoronitis) Saushira (anug) Mahashushira (cancrum oris, noma) Paridhara Vataj dantha Nadi (sinus, fistula, osteomyelitis = dantha Nadi) Pittaj dantha Nadi Kaphaj dantha Nadi Sannipathaj dantha Nadi

Ayurvedic Remedies for Common Dental Problems

Tooth Decay: Tooth decay can be controlled by eating plenty of raw vegetables and eating the food rich in calcium. Make toothpaste mixed with turmeric, salt, and mustard and rub a paste on the teeth and gums.

Bleeding Gums: A Sprig of neem, Babul, and holy basil can be used for clean teeth and to stop bleeding. Make toothpaste mixed with Alum and mustard oil, massage the gums then rinse your mouth with water mixed with alum. Chewing guava leaves can also help stop bleeding, eat lots of green vegetables, citrus fruits, and lemon.

Toothache: The spices such as clove oil, til, and cinnamon can be very effective in preventing toothache. You can make a remedy with a clove of garlic with a pinch of pepper with rock salt. The other way is to make a paste of bark bayberry mixed with vinegar to relieve toothache. Various ailments related to oral complaints such as aphthous ulcer, xerostomia, lichen planus, and can Bechet’ syndrome can also be treated by Ayurveda.

Way To Take Care Of Dental Health

For dental health care Ayurveda advocates for procedures such as oral prophylaxis, extractions, spin-offs, flap surgeries, etc.

It also advocates the treatment of orofacial diseases and recommends some therapeutic, preventive measures to maintain oral health. Below are some procedures that are to be followed in day to day life for dental health.

1. Brushing (Dant Dhavani)

Ayurvedic texts recommended the chewing of sticks in the morning and after each meal can prevent oral diseases. Ayurveda describes various herbs that can be used for brushing.

It also specifies that the stick must be approximately 9 inches long and the thickness should be about the size of a small finger. These herbs sticks should have properties and flavor such as “tikta” (bitter), “katu” (acrid), “kashaya” (astringent).

The method described in it is that one should crush one end of the stick go chewing and brushing gradually, it also recommends using sticks from fresh plants.

The Various Plants Recommended For Brushing

Neem (Neem or Azadirachta indica)

Fresh stems of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

Catechu Black/tree Cutch (Acacia catechu Linn.)

Tree Arjuna (Terminalia Arjuna)

Nut fever (Caesalpinia bonduc)

Milkweed plant (Calotropis Procera).

2.Tongue Scrapping (Jivha Lekhana)

Today in this modern world we use plastics or stainless steel tongue scrapers. Ayurveda strongly suggests the use of copper, silver, or gold tongue cleaner for scraping the tongue.

Tongue scraping motivates the reflex points of the tongue, helps to eliminate odor (halitosis), improves taste, and stimulates the secretion of digestive enzymes.

It also helps to clean the growth of (approximately 500 varieties) bacteria. There is medical evidence that show’s that regular use of tongue scrapers can help to eliminate anaerobic bacteria while decreasing the mouth odor.

3.Gargling/Oil Pulling (Gandoosha)

Oil pulling is a procedure that involves swishing oil in the mouth for oral and dental health benefits. This therapy is very well described in the Ayurvedic text called Charaka Samhita, the chapter related to oral and dental called Kavala or Gandusha.

In Gandush therapy the oral cavity is completely filled with a liquid ( coconut oil, olive or sesame oil ) it is kept for about 3-5 minutes and then Released.

In Kavala Graha therapy a comfortable amount of liquid is filled in the mouth, it is closed for about 3 minutes, then gargle.

4.Tissue Regeneration

Tissue regeneration therapy is another important therapy described in Ayurveda.

It helps to stabilize collagen production and strengthens the gum tissue (herbs like Cranberry and haw fruit are beneficial for it).

It helps to strengthen (Asthi dhatu) the skeleton and joints that can benefit for the long term health of the teeth (herbs like Alfalfa Leaf, Cinnamon Bark, and Turmeric Root are beneficial for it).

It helps to rebuild the overall oral health (herbs like Amla or Amalaki are beneficial for it).

Benefits Of Oil pulling In Ayurveda

You have probably heard of oil pulling. It has been around for centuries but has gained more popularity in recent years. The best part of oil pulling is its other health benefits with dental care. There are many types of oil that can be used for oil pulling along with Coconut oil, they may be sunflower oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, etc.

The overwhelming benefits of coconut oil extraction are endless! the pulling of oil does more than whiten your teeth. Below are some oil pulling benefits list.

1) Prevents cavities Coconut oil

Swishing helps eliminate bacteria that tend to hide between teeth and gums. By getting rid of this bacteria, you can prevent cavities from forming in your mouth.

2) kill bad breath

By eliminating all those toxins from the mouth, it is natural that the elimination of those toxins helps to refresh the breath, right? Consider coconut oil a great alternative to alcohol-filled mouthwashes.

3) Reduce gingivitis

The friction created by oil extraction has an effect similar to that of soap inside the mouth. This cleanse penetrates deep into hard-to-reach areas of your gums and kills all germs that can cause gingivitis.

4) Prevent heart disease

Your oral health is very important to the general health of your body. Bacteria in your mouth can leak into the bloodstream and cause a buildup of arterial plaque (known to contribute to heart disease). Oil extraction prevents this bacteria from entering the bloodstream.

5) Detoxifies the body

Germs in the body cause inflammation and diseases that leave your body feeling sick. Killing these germs at their source will make you and your body feel much better. Also, by cleaning your tongue, you are cleaning your entire body!

6) Stimulates the Immune System

coconut is full of vitamin A and natural fatty acids. It is the perfect way to boost your immune system. By eliminating bacteria through oil extraction, you can prevent any build-up of toxic stress.

7) Soothe dry throat

The best part of using coconut oil? It is digestible. You don’t want to swallow it after eating it, because the thick liquid will be full of bad things, but there is no denying that eating it in your mouth makes everything slippery, smooth, and relaxing for your throat.

8) Increase energy

When the immune system is working hard to remove toxic waste, it drains our energy levels dramatically. Eliminating these toxins from the source (generally the mouth) reduces the amount of work that our body has to do, which leaves us feeling very good!

9) Heal Cracked Lips

Packed with fat-soluble vitamins, coconut oil is the perfect, natural way to keep your lips soft and supple during the dry winter months. Do yourself a favor and invest in a quality oil extraction kit today.

10) Reduce Acne:

The abundance of vitamin E in coconut oil is packed with antioxidants that can help lighten skin. By eliminating toxins, you are relieving your body of additional stress and helping to prevent acne.

11) Reduce headaches

A build-up of toxins in the body can lead to headaches, and oil extraction helps flush out those toxins, reducing headaches and migraines.

Today oral problems such as oral cancer, dental caries, and periodontal are considered the most fatal dental-related diseases it is due to quality of life and poor oral health.

The standard Western medicine also has little success in the prevention of periodontal disease and it is expensive with adverse effects.

On the other hand natural way to deal with dental care is cheaper and is an easily available home remedy, without any side effects.

It is also claimed to cure about 30 systemic diseases such as headaches, migraines to diabetes, and asthma. So patient awareness, knowledge about the safe use of Ayurvedic medicines is important.