Tuesday
Apr142009
Tue, April 14, 2009 | Lisa Barger Oil Pulling
“I noticed that you took down your site that debunked oil pulling. Does this mean you’ve changed your mind? Do you think oil pulling works now?”
No, my opinion of oil pulling as a quack therapy full of empty promises has not changed. That site was retired because, as many of my readers now know, oil pulling was a craze that couldn’t live up to the hype. As the oil swishing craze died down and the various explanation for how OP supposedly worked were debunked one by one, the site became unnecessary.
I stand by my original oil pulling article 100%. I still believe that there’s no way oil pulling can “detox” you by “pulling” germs, toxins or waste through the veins under your tongue and no way that it can “travel” against the flow of gravity to cure a sinus infection.
I do believe, as I did then, that people who practice oil pulling may enjoy better oral health. Whether that improved oral health is the result of oil pulling or simply better hygiene, I will leave up to you.
In the years that have passed since I wrote that first OP article, I still have not seen even a single scientific explanation for how oil pulling could “pull” toxins from your blood or why—even if it could—it would be more effective than, say some form of herbal medicine or a pharmaceutical drug. Nor have I ever had any of my arguments countered by a legitimate healthcare expert, scientists or researcher.
And I have yet to see any of this “amazing” research, either. In recent years, there have been a handful of studies suggesting that oil pulling may help reduce plaque on teeth—something I acknowledged in my very first article. But no study I’ve ever seen even hints that oil pulling can cure migraines, cancer, PMS or any other health condition.
So to answer your question, no, my opinion of oil pulling has not changed. But neither has my opinion that it’s really up to you. If swishing coconut or olive or sesame oil around in your mouth for 20 minutes every morning makes you feel better, you don’t need my permission or that of anyone else. I only hope that I have given my readers the tools to make an informed choice.
No, my opinion of oil pulling as a quack therapy full of empty promises has not changed. That site was retired because, as many of my readers now know, oil pulling was a craze that couldn’t live up to the hype. As the oil swishing craze died down and the various explanation for how OP supposedly worked were debunked one by one, the site became unnecessary.
I stand by my original oil pulling article 100%. I still believe that there’s no way oil pulling can “detox” you by “pulling” germs, toxins or waste through the veins under your tongue and no way that it can “travel” against the flow of gravity to cure a sinus infection.
I do believe, as I did then, that people who practice oil pulling may enjoy better oral health. Whether that improved oral health is the result of oil pulling or simply better hygiene, I will leave up to you.
In the years that have passed since I wrote that first OP article, I still have not seen even a single scientific explanation for how oil pulling could “pull” toxins from your blood or why—even if it could—it would be more effective than, say some form of herbal medicine or a pharmaceutical drug. Nor have I ever had any of my arguments countered by a legitimate healthcare expert, scientists or researcher.
And I have yet to see any of this “amazing” research, either. In recent years, there have been a handful of studies suggesting that oil pulling may help reduce plaque on teeth—something I acknowledged in my very first article. But no study I’ve ever seen even hints that oil pulling can cure migraines, cancer, PMS or any other health condition.
So to answer your question, no, my opinion of oil pulling has not changed. But neither has my opinion that it’s really up to you. If swishing coconut or olive or sesame oil around in your mouth for 20 minutes every morning makes you feel better, you don’t need my permission or that of anyone else. I only hope that I have given my readers the tools to make an informed choice.
This is a "retired" article left in place for archival purposes. It may not reflect current information. No new comments will be added.
Reader Comments (4)
Hi,
I'm new to the idea of OP - I agree 100% that toxins can not be "pulled" from anywhere in your body (feet, mouth, wherever)...however, I have a theory about OP:
Your mouth is host to a ton of bacteria, and while general oral hygiene takes some of it away, maybe OP takes away more. You see, if there are bacteria in your saliva, and you are constantly swallowing your saliva - well, it might make sense that if OP takes away bad bacteria, you are no longer ingesting it into your system - which may be the reason why it works. I haven't tried it yet, and may not - but I do believe that you are what you eat, and if you are ingesting icky bacteria from your mouth...that bacteria could possibly make you ill.
Anyway - just a hunch.
I think this is actually an intriguing idea. We know that oil pulling can improve oral health and we know that oral health is directly tied to heart health and perhaps even diabetes.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Hi, Lisa! Thanks so much for this site. I just discovered it and have been enjoying going through the many useful articles here. Great stuff, and I like your perspective. I am intrigued by many alternative medicine practices, but am always skeptical of the more bizarre claims. I've tried oil pulling on and off over the years. When I was doing it very consistently, my dentist was impressed at how clean my teeth were. I mentioned oil pulling to him; he had never heard of it, but he surmised that oil would dissolve some organic buildup on the teeth that water wouldn't.
Oddly, another side effect that comes if and only if I pull oil for more than a few days at a time, is that I develop a distinct aversion to sweets.
Thanks, Jennifer. :-)