Oil pulling on its own is unlikely to have any specific risks or side effects. However, some people may become so convinced of its effectiveness after watching online videos or reading articles that they give up well proven dental hygiene practices and products to replace them entirely with oil pulling. This is where the biggest risks of problems lie.

For example, while oil pulling practitioners may tell you that oil pulling is effective at cleaning your teeth, replacing proper daily tooth brushing sessions with oil pulling sessions could lead to the formation or growth of cavities. Similarly, replacing a proper flossing regimen with oil pulling will fail to remove the plaque and bacteria that flossing is able to remove, which could potentially result in gum disease or other issues.

Another potential risk area with oil pulling lies in the sourcing of the oils themselves. Pure oils should not cause any problems. However, some practitioners of oil pulling buy their oils from Ayurvedic health shops which source them from the Far East in various developing or unregulated countries. Even in the United States and Europe, there are no established regulations in place to monitor or control the quality of plant oils. As a result, one study conducted by the Harvard Medical School discovered the presence of hazardous levels of arsenic, lead, and/or mercury in 20% of the various Ayurvedic herbal medical products tested that were found in South Asian grocery stores in the Boston area.

One last risk which as admittedly a very unlikely one, is that these oils can cause lipoid pneumonia if accidentally ingested into the lungs during an oil pulling session. So if you do decide to try oil pulling, be sure to be extremely careful not to ingest any of the oil into your lungs (this should not happen under ordinary circumstances).

The verdict is that oil pulling can be helpful in certain cases, such as when used as an alternative to mouth wash for reducing the presence of bad breath due to microbes in the mouth. Just be sure to keep in mind its limitations and possible risks and continue your normal brushing and flossing routines in order to prevent the development of things like cavities or gum disease. Consulting your North York dentist will also be a wise decision.

Have you tried oil pulling and achieved any significant results with it? Feel free to share them in the comments below!