There is a recent trend in dental care known by the naturopath community as “oil pulling”. Practitioners do away with tooth brushing in favor of vigorously swishing with natural oil for twenty minutes, two times a day. This is supposed to clean your teeth, reduce inflammation, and give you all sorts of other benefits. But is this for real? Before you throw away your own toothbrush, our International District dentistry clinic has a few words of caution.
There is a lot to be skeptical about in regards to oil pulling. Many of the theories that this practice are based upon are downright absurd, and the rest are backed up with studies that are highly suspect. It can be difficult to empirically dismiss the practice, but it does remain clear that it is not an apt substitute for tooth brushing.
Consider the prospect of swishing for twenty minutes, two times a day. Your jaw will probably get tired after minute number two. After all of this work, you’re still not getting the same benefits of two minutes of proper brushing. A toothbrush is the only known way to scrub plaque off of your teeth, and toothpaste plays an important role in reinforcing your tooth enamel with fluoride. With this in mind, think twice before abandoning proven oral hygiene techniques for unproven medical fads.