Surely you have heard your friends (Facebook or otherwise) talk about oil pulling. It seems to be the thing to do these days, with everyone from doctors to celebrities backing the trend. But is it really an effective way to detox your body and whiten your teeth, or is it all just a giant waste of time?
Oil Pulling Explained
Before discussing how effective oil pulling is, we should probably explain exactly what oil pulling is. In short, you take pure oil—coconut and sesame are both popular varieties—and swish it around in your mouth for a full 15 minutes drawing out toxins as you do so. At the end, you spit it out to discover it has changed colors, and then you marvel at just how many toxins were apparently pulled out of your body.
Science’s Take
So is there actually any science behind this interesting way to supposedly improve your health? Not really. According to The Washington Post, there are no fact-based studies to back up the claims of this ancient technique. That being said, they point out that there are no reports of oil pulling being harmful either.
The Public’s Take
The act of oil pulling seems to get pretty mixed reviews, and this could be due to the different body chemistries and reactions to the practice—or it could be the placebo effect. Regardless, there are a lot of people who swear oil pulling is what reduced their migraines, gave them more energy, improved the shade of their smile, and provided them with an abundance of other desirable results.
In Summary
If you have 15 minutes per day to spare, and you don’t mind dishing out the dough for the oil, you may as well give oil pulling a try. Even if you don’t see any amazing results, you won’t do any harm. And hey, you might be one of the lucky ones that notices improved health thanks to the detox benefits oil pulling allegedly provides.
