What are the real benefits of oil pulling?

Oil pulling means swishing a spoonful of edible oil, usually coconut, sesame or sunflower, around your mouth for several minutes and then spitting it out. It comes from Ayurveda, where versions called kavala and gandusha have been practiced for centuries. Social media has made it popular again, with claims ranging from whiter teeth to clearer skin.

The practice itself is simple and cheap, which is part of the appeal. The question is what it actually does.

Three systematic reviews give the clearest picture:

• Gbinigie et al., 2016: five randomized trials with 160 people in total, lasting 10 to 45 days. Results were mostly no different from controls, and the authors called the evidence limited.
• Woolley et al., 2020: four trials of coconut oil with 182 people, lasting 7 to 14 days. They found reductions in saliva bacteria and plaque scores, but rated the risk of bias as high and the evidence as limited.
• Peng et al., 2022: nine trials. Oil pulling may lower bacteria counts in saliva, but there was no significant difference in plaque or gum scores.

Across all three, trials were small, short and inconsistently reported. None looked at long-term outcomes like cavities or tooth loss. That is why the reviewers all ask for better studies before drawing firm conclusions.

The American Dental Association's consumer site states there are no reliable scientific studies showing that oil pulling reduces cavities, whitens teeth or improves oral health, and that the ADA does not recommend it as a dental hygiene practice. An ADA spokesperson added in ADA News that swishing food-safe oil is unlikely to be harmful, but should never replace evidence-based care.

A Cleveland Clinic dentist takes the same line: there is no good evidence it makes a noticeable difference, it is not likely to hurt you, and brushing and flossing remain the foundation.

For a healthy adult, oil pulling is low-risk when done properly, and some people simply enjoy it. If you try it, treat it as an extra, not a swap:

• Keep brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and cleaning between teeth daily.
• Do not swallow or gargle the oil, and spit it into the trash.
• Skip it if you have trouble swallowing or a higher risk of inhaling liquids. Our page on oil pulling dangers explains why.

Step-by-step instructions are in our how-to guide.

If your goal is a cleaner mouth or fresher breath, steps with stronger evidence give more return per minute: brushing with fluoride toothpaste, flossing or using interdental brushes, and cleaning your tongue. Tongue cleaning lowers the sulfur gases behind bad breath, though the effect of a single session is short and the overall evidence is still small. Regular dental cleanings catch problems that no home routine can fix. Build a routine that fits your day with our routine builder.