The uncommon oil pulling technique has been getting a lot of attention lately thanks to celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Shailene Woodley, who both reportedly practice oral oil pulling to keep their teeth white. Oil pulling involves swishing oil, usually sunflower or sesame oil, in your mouth for 10 to 20 minutes until it “pulls” the bacteria from your teeth. An article on the online journal Dentistry IQ dated March 27, 2014 sought to study the method’s efficacy, and notes a test between oil pulling versus a more typical mouthwash solution:
“Chlorhexidine mouthwash is often used to control gingivitis in clinical practice. A study by Asokan et al. evaluated the use of chlorhexidine and oil pulling therapy in the treatment of gingivitis. The study was a randomized, controlled, triple-blind study (2009). The study evaluated oil pulling on plaque-induced gingivitis. The effect of chlorhexidine used in the management of gingivitis is known. But in the Asokan study, oil pulling was found to be equally effective in controlling gingivitis. The advantages of oil pulling over chlorhexidine were the following:
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No staining
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No lingering aftertaste
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No allergies to the product
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Cost savings was five to six times more cost effective.”
While oil pulling has yet to be scientifically proven to actually clean and whiten teeth, that doesn’t mean whiter teeth has to remain a pipe dream. There are recognized and certified methods that can reliably whiten teeth, and most can be performed in-office by a dentist. Those interested in having their teeth whitened efficiently should see a local cosmetic dentist in Jacksonville for the best treatments.
Unlike oil pulling and its supposed antibacterial properties after several swishes, an in-office teeth whitening procedure is a lot more straightforward when it comes to the processes involved. Dentists will first cover parts of your mouth to protect it, then coat your teeth with a whitening bleach, which is either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. The solution is then left to cure on your mouth for about 30 minutes to an hour with a strong light or laser.
In-office teeth whitening works because the bleaching agent works deep within a patient’s tooth, breaking down the stains from within. Such procedures are only possible with a professional cosmetic dentist in Ponte Vedra, such as the Burgess Center for Cosmetic Dentistry. As a safer alternative, you should consult with dentists and consider proven treatments first before you try alternative methods for whitening.
(Source: Oral Exam: Oral Oil Pulling, dentistryiq.com, March 27, 2014)