Oil Pulling

Gandusha and kavala graha in Ayurveda

Oil pulling is described in Ayurveda, the traditional medical system of South Asia, under the names gandusha (also written gandoosha) and kavala graha. A paper from an Ayurvedic college in Pune lists gandusha and kavala as two therapeutic measures described in Ayurveda. A later dental review states that the practice is mentioned in the Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita, two classical Ayurvedic works.

The sources reviewed for this page do not give the dates of those passages or quote them, and the statement about the two classical works is second-hand. A reader who needs the original wording should consult a translation of the Sanskrit texts and a scholar of Ayurvedic history.

Spread beyond South Asia

Dental researchers describe oil pulling as a traditional folk remedy of India. The sources reviewed do not trace when or how it reached Western countries or who first popularized it there, so no date is given here. A 2025 content analysis of short online videos found that most videos about oil pulling were posted by influencers rather than dental professionals, which shows the present-day spread through social media but does not establish its history.

Gandusha, kavala and the English term

One review explains the two Sanskrit terms by the amount of oil held in the mouth. In gandusha the mouth is described as completely filled so that swishing is impossible, while in kavala graha a smaller amount is used so that movement of the oil is possible. In English the practice is called oil pulling, and the same review uses oil swishing as a near synonym.

What the term covers

Oil pulling is not a single standardized procedure. Trials in the research literature use different edible oils, including sesame and coconut oil, and different durations. Systematic reviews therefore treat results as applying to the specific oil and schedule tested. Some products sold as oil-pulling rinses are formulated mouthwashes, which are not the same as plain edible oil.

General description

In general terms, oil pulling means holding an edible oil in the mouth and moving it around the teeth and gums for a period of time, then spitting it out rather than swallowing it. Practitioners of Ayurveda place it among daily self-care measures. This page does not give quantities, timings or step-by-step instructions, and the trials cited differ in how they delivered the practice.

Place within Ayurvedic daily care

Oil pulling belongs to the wider Ayurvedic tradition covered on the Machipedia page named Ayurveda. Related Machipedia pages include Dinacharya, the Ayurvedic daily routine, and Tongue Scraping (Jihwa Prakshalana), another oral-care measure associated with that tradition. Hypnodontics, a separate page, covers a different approach used in dental settings.

Training

Oil pulling is a self-applied practice and the sources reviewed describe no training, credential or professional register for it. Ayurvedic and dental professionals may advise on it, but no standard qualification specific to oil pulling was found in the sources reviewed.

Claims within the tradition

A review of the practice states that oil pulling is believed to treat more than thirty systemic diseases when practiced regularly. Proponents also describe it as strengthening the teeth, gums and jaws, preventing tooth decay, bad breath and bleeding gums, and easing a dry throat or cracked lips. The same review reports a traditional idea that oil pulling draws toxins out through the tongue and detoxifies the body, and it records the counter-argument that the oral lining does not allow toxins to pass from the blood in this way.

Claims in popular media

A 2025 analysis of 47 English-language short videos found that most encouraged oil pulling, often citing reduced bad breath and better gum health, while a smaller number advanced stronger claims such as reversing cavities or remineralizing enamel. The authors reported that US-licensed dentists and dental hygienists tended to discourage the practice or express skepticism, and they described the claims as largely anecdotal and testimonial-driven. The sources reviewed do not support detox, cavity reversal or whole-body health claims.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses

An early systematic review to February 2015 found five randomized trials (160 participants, 10 to 45 days). Three reported no significant difference in plaque index against controls, and the authors concluded that evidence was limited and that trials should be more rigorous. A 2020 review of coconut oil found four trials with 182 participants over 7 to 14 days. It reported significant differences for salivary bacterial counts and plaque index but described the data as insufficient for firm conclusions, with mixed quality and high risk of bias.

A 2022 meta-analysis of nine randomized trials found a lower salivary bacterial colony count with oil pulling (mean difference 17.55, 95% confidence interval 2.56 to 32.55) but no significant difference in plaque index or gingival index. A 2023 meta-analysis of 25 trials with 1,184 participants found that chlorhexidine reduced plaque scores more than oil pulling (standardized mean difference 0.33, 95% confidence interval 0.17 to 0.49), while oil pulling improved modified gingival index scores against non-chlorhexidine comparators. Its authors rated the overall quality of evidence as very low.

Other pooled and recent evidence

A 2023 meta-analysis of 41 randomized trials in gingivitis pooled Ayurvedic and herbal plaque-control agents. For the oil pulling subgroup the plaque index estimate was -0.38 (95% confidence interval -1.45 to 0.68) and the colony count estimate was -1.04 (95% confidence interval -2.20 to 0.11); both intervals include no effect. A 2026 review of 31 studies of traditional oral hygiene practices reported moderate reductions in microbial load with oil pulling, varying results against chlorhexidine, and called for cautious interpretation.

In a 2025 examiner-blinded trial of 40 adults, oil pulling with sesame oil for eight weeks reduced full-mouth plaque more than distilled water (median reduction 18.98 percent versus 10.49 percent), but gingival index and microbiology did not change significantly; the authors could not rule out bias.

Mouth bacteria and breath odor

A triple-blind trial of 20 adolescent boys compared sesame oil pulling with chlorhexidine rinsing. Streptococcus mutans counts in plaque fell significantly in the oil group at one and two weeks, but counts in saliva did not change significantly in that group, and the study did not measure tooth decay. A pilot trial of 20 adolescents reported lower breath odor scores in both the oil and chlorhexidine groups. Both trials are small.

Dental body position and quality of evidence

The American Dental Association states that there are no reliable scientific studies showing that oil pulling reduces cavities, whitens teeth or improves oral health and well-being, and that on that basis it does not recommend oil pulling as a dental hygiene practice. It continues to recommend brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and cleaning between the teeth daily. The reviews cite small, short trials with varied methods and high risk of bias. None of the sources reviewed compared oil pulling with fluoride, so no fluoride comparison is drawn.

Lipoid pneumonia and aspiration

Case reports describe exogenous lipoid pneumonia, a lung inflammation caused by inhaling oily material, in people who practiced oil pulling. One report describes a 66-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman who had repeatedly practiced sesame oil pulling for months; one improved with steroid treatment and bronchoalveolar lavage, and the other needed no intensive treatment. Another report describes two women with a history of tongue cancer who had an unresolving pneumonia, were treated by stopping the practice and repeated lavage, and whose authors advised that people at risk of aspiration be informed of this risk. The authors of the first report call the event rare. Case reports cannot show how often it occurs, and no source reviewed gives an incidence.

Swallowing, jaw strain and other cautions

One review advises against swallowing the oil, notes that jaw aching can occur during longer sessions, and describes the practice as contraindicated in children under five because of aspiration risk. A 2025 trial noted that people with keratosis, a thickening of the oral lining, may have adverse effects. These statements come from a narrative review and a trial discussion, not from systematic harm data.

Care boundaries

The American Dental Association does not recommend oil pulling and recommends brushing with fluoride toothpaste and cleaning between the teeth. Reviewers describe oil pulling at most as an adjunct that does not replace brushing, dental treatment or professional care. Persistent bleeding gums, toothache, mouth ulcers, bad breath that does not settle, cough or breathlessness are reasons to see a dentist or physician, and the sources reviewed give no support for using oil pulling in place of such care.