Ayurvedic Oil Pulling: How It Is Traditionally Done, How Long, and Which Oil

Safety note. Oil pulling is a traditional Ayurvedic practice, not a dental treatment. This article is educational, not medical advice; consult a qualified dentist or doctor before you start. It does not replace brushing, flossing, or seeing a dentist, and the American Dental Association (ADA) does not recommend it as a dental hygiene practice. Swallowing or inhaling the oil is a risk (see Safety). If you have tooth pain, bleeding gums, mouth sores, or any medical condition, or you are pregnant, talk to a dentist or doctor before trying it.

What is Ayurvedic oil pulling?

Ayurvedic oil pulling is a traditional mouth practice: you hold or swish oil in your mouth for a few minutes, spit it out, and rinse. Ayurvedic literature, including the Charaka Samhita, names it kavala or gandusha and places it among the traditional oral-care routines. Two reviews of the Ayurvedic literature (Singh and Purohit, 2011; Torwane et al., 2014) describe it that way. Traditional claims for it are broad, including benefits for the whole body. Those claims have not been shown in clinical research.

In the one source we read that distinguishes the two terms (Singh and Purohit), gandusha means filling the mouth completely so the oil is held still, for about 3 to 5 minutes. Kavala means holding a comfortable amount with the mouth closed for about 3 minutes, then swishing. Texts and teachers vary on the details, and many modern guides blend the two. We did not find a source for a fixed tongue-scraping order, so treat any "scrape first" instruction as one teacher's version of the routine. Tongue scraping itself (jivha lekhana) is a separate traditional practice (Torwane et al., 2014).

For the wider routine, see our dinacharya guide and morning wellness routine.

How long and how much: traditional, common, and studied

There is no single studied or approved amount or length. Here is where each commonly quoted figure comes from.

We give no advice on the best time of day or on an empty stomach, because we have no source for it. How often: tradition describes a daily practice, and the trials used daily sessions for 1 to 8 weeks, but no long-term schedule has been studied.

If you decide to try it, a cautious approach is to start with a small amount of oil, a short session you can finish without coughing, choking, or swallowing, and a pace that does not tire your jaw. This is our conservative suggestion, not a studied protocol, and it is no substitute for advice from your dentist or doctor. Stay upright and attentive while you do it, and stop if anything feels wrong.

After the session, spit the oil into a trash can or paper towel. Then rinse your mouth and brush and floss as usual.

Which oil should you use?

Short answer: no oil has been shown to be better than another. Sesame is the oil most often named in traditional descriptions, with sunflower also mentioned (Singh and Purohit, 2011; Torwane et al., 2014). Coconut oil is common in modern use, and the ADA lists sesame, olive, sunflower, and coconut as examples.

How to choose:

• Rule out allergies first. Do not use sesame oil with a sesame allergy, or any oil you are allergic to.
• Use a plain, food-grade, unscented oil with no additives. We do not recommend any brand.
• Stop using the product if you get nausea, a sore or irritated mouth, a rash, coughing, or jaw discomfort. A rash can be an allergic reaction, so talk to a clinician before trying again with any oil.

Some Ayurvedic teachers also match oils to doshas. We give no pairings because we have no source for them, and teachers disagree. If you are curious about the framework, our dosha quiz is a starting point for exploring it, not a diagnosis.

What does the research say?

Short answer: the evidence is not enough to recommend oil pulling for better oral health. Small, short trials suggest it may reduce plaque scores, but the studies are limited and mixed in quality, and the ADA does not recommend it.

• A 2025 randomized trial in Austria (Zürcher et al.) gave 40 adults without advanced gum disease either sesame oil or distilled water to pull for 15 minutes every morning for eight weeks. The plaque-index score fell more with sesame oil (median reduction 18.98% versus 10.49% with water, p = 0.023). There were no significant changes in the gum index or in the bacteria measured. The authors said bias could not be ruled out and that higher-quality trials are needed. They suggested oil pulling might be an add-on to mechanical cleaning. A plaque score is not the same as fewer cavities or better long-term gum health, and the trial did not measure those. The abstract also notes that people with keratosis may experience adverse effects.
• A 2020 systematic review of coconut oil pulling (Woolley et al.) found four randomized trials with 182 participants, lasting 7 to 14 days. Some showed lower plaque scores and fewer bacteria in saliva. The authors described the evidence as limited, with mixed study quality and high risk of bias, and said the data were insufficient for firm conclusions.
• The ADA says there are no reliable scientific studies showing that oil pulling reduces cavities, and it does not recommend it as a dental hygiene practice. The claims you see online about detoxing the body, whitening teeth, or curing disease are not supported.

In short: oil pulling is optional and unproven as an oral-health measure. It must not displace fluoride toothpaste, cleaning between your teeth, or dental care.

Safety: who should talk to a clinician first?

Most of this is general caution, not drawn from a study.

• Do not swallow the oil, and avoid inhaling it. Inhaled oil can reach the lungs. A 2015 case report (Kuroyama et al.) described two patients, aged 66 and 38, who developed exogenous lipoid pneumonia, a rare lung condition caused by inhaling oily substances. Both had habitually practiced sesame oil pulling for several months, one by nasal washing and one by mouth washing. The report described this as rare, and the abstract we read does not say how the oil reached the lungs. We have no study showing which technique prevents it. If you cough or choke easily, have trouble swallowing, or have a lung condition, talk to a clinician before trying this.
• Children. Young children may not be able to swish and spit reliably. We do not suggest oil pulling for children. If a parent is considering it, ask the child's pediatrician or pediatric dentist first. Their approval would not make it proven.
• Pregnancy and medical conditions. If you are pregnant or have any medical condition, ask your clinician first.
• Mouth, tooth, or jaw problems. Tooth pain, loose teeth, bleeding gums, mouth sores, and jaw pain (including TMJ problems) need assessment by a dentist or doctor. Do not use oil pulling in place of that. Stop if your jaw feels tired or sore. We found no source on whether short sessions are safe for jaw disorders, so ask first.
• Allergies and irritation. See the oil section above. Stop if you notice a reaction.

Frequently asked questions

Does oil pulling whiten teeth or detox the body?

There is no reliable evidence for either claim. The ADA says there are no reliable studies showing that oil pulling reduces cavities, and the research summarized above covers plaque scores only.

Should I oil pull before or after brushing?

The sources we read do not settle the order, so ask your dentist which they suggest. Either way, keep brushing and flossing as usual.

Can I do oil pulling every day?

Tradition describes it as a daily practice, and the trials above used daily sessions for one to eight weeks. No long-term schedule has been studied. If it irritates your mouth or jaw, stop and talk to your dentist.

Is coconut or sesame oil better?

Neither has been shown to be better. See the oil section for how to choose.

Can I use mouthwash instead?

Oil pulling is not a proven substitute for mouthwash, toothpaste, or flossing. Ask your dentist what is right for your mouth.

Sources

All sources below were opened and read on 29 Oct 2026. For items 1 to 3 and 5, we read the abstract record only, not the full paper. For item 4 we read the page text.

1. Zürcher C, Vukoje K, Kleiner EM, et al. The plaque reducing efficacy of oil pulling with sesame oil: a randomized-controlled clinical study. Clin Oral Investig. 2025;29(1):53. PMID 39786483. https://www.ebi.ac.uk/europepmc/webservices/rest/search?query=EXT_ID:39786483%20AND%20SRC:MED&resultType=core&format=json (opened 29 Oct 2026).
2. Woolley J, Gibbons T, Patel K, Sacco R. The effect of oil pulling with coconut oil to improve dental hygiene and oral health: a systematic review. Heliyon. 2020;6(8):e04789. PMID 32923724. https://www.ebi.ac.uk/europepmc/webservices/rest/search?query=EXT_ID:32923724%20AND%20SRC:MED&resultType=core&format=json (opened 29 Oct 2026).
3. Kuroyama M, Kagawa H, Kitada S, et al. Exogenous lipoid pneumonia caused by repeated sesame oil pulling: a report of two cases. BMC Pulm Med. 2015;15:135. PMID 26518258. https://www.ebi.ac.uk/europepmc/webservices/rest/search?query=EXT_ID:26518258%20AND%20SRC:MED&resultType=core&format=json (opened 29 Oct 2026).
4. American Dental Association (MouthHealthy.org). Oil Pulling. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/oil-pulling (opened 29 Oct 2026).
5. Singh A, Purohit B. Tooth brushing, oil pulling and tissue regeneration: a review of holistic approaches to oral health. J Ayurveda Integr Med. 2011;2(2). PMC3131773. https://www.ebi.ac.uk/europepmc/webservices/rest/PMC3131773/fullTextXML (opened 29 Oct 2026).
6. Torwane NA, Hongal S, Goel P, Chandrashekar BR. Role of Ayurveda in management of oral health. Pharmacogn Rev. 2014. PMC3931197. https://www.ebi.ac.uk/europepmc/webservices/rest/PMC3931197/fullTextXML (opened 29 Oct 2026).