Some Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is Oil “Pullying”?

A. “Pully” or “Qulli” is the Sanskrit/Hindi word for swishing liquid in one’s Mouth. Oil “Pullying” is the habit, of every morning, taking a little (say a table spoonful) of Refined oil (preferably coconut oil which contains lauric acid well known for its antimicrobial properties, though cold pressed flax seed oil or any other oil with low Omega-6 content would also be acceptable) into your mouth and “Pullying” it, i.e. swishing it in the mouth for about 15 minutes and then spitting it out. This practice was encouraged in the Ayurvedic Medicinal Tradition that dates back thousands of years as being a effective oral and general health therapy.

It is estimated that millions of people practice oil “pullying” to good effect in India.

Q. What does oil “Pullying” do?

A. Oil pullying has been empirically observed by its practitioners to have manifold systemic health benefits. The benefits range from overall improvements of general health, to alleviation of rheumatic/ arthritic problems and increased resistance to illness. The beneficial effect on auto-immune diseases is quite marked. All these benefits result in seeming to slow down the debilitating effects of ageing and considerably improving the quality of life, thus leading to a happier and fitter middle and old age. Also helps to maintain good oral health.

Recent studies have clearly shown this practice has a good scientific basis as help against gingivitis, plaque and micro organisms that cause bad breath.

Q. Can you explain how Oil “Pullying” can attain such beneficial results?

A. Oil “Pullying” has five direct and easily observable effects.

• The facial and oral muscles and the tongue get exercised and the salivary glands get fully stimulated. This also helps stimulate the brain and exercise the tongue preventing the biting of cheeks and tongue while chewing.
• The mouth and teeth are cleansed due to the cavitation effect of the bubbles caused by “pullying” and also due to the detergent effect of the oil, all of which loosens the impurities in the mouth and contains them in suspension in the oil in addition to destroying surface bacteria.
• The sensory organs in the mouth recognize the presence of oil and signal the brain to trigger oil/fat metabolization activity within the body. This helps in burning up body fat more effectively.
• The swishing action of oil within the mouth not only cleanses the mucous layer but also signals the brain to trigger an increased production of mucous tissue all through the body. This helps in better digestion, and better health due to the beneficial effects of more mucous tissue wherever it is needed in the body
• The salivary glands continue to function more copiously and effectively, Throughout the day with all the resultant benefits.

The beneficial effects derived from the extra saliva can be better understood keeping the following in Mind.

1. Saliva contains anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. The anti-bacterial property is well recognized and as for anti viral properties please note that there is no known case of transference of the AIDS virus through There is considerable research on to identify and isolate such anti viral compounds from saliva.
2. Saliva contains many enzymes that help in digesting the food properly.
3. The back of the tongue has numerous fissures in which anaerobic bacteria thrive. Such bacteria have a symbiotic relationship with the host in that they excrete some strong anti-bacterial compounds which the saliva carries into the stomach and thence into the blood stream. An average human swallows a litre or more of saliva per day. Obviously, the more the saliva flow the greater the beneficial effects from the anti-bacterial, anti-viral and enzymic action of the compounds in saliva.

Oil ‘pullying’ exercises the tongue and keeps it flexible, thus preventing it from getting bitten by ourselves. After the end of pullying it is good to exercise your tongue a little more by sticking it out fully and moving it to the left and to the right about ten times and then curl it within our mouth to touch the back of the tongue tip to the upper palate a few times.

Q. Are there any ill effects of oil “pullying”?

A. None – Other than the fact that you use up about a table spoon of edible oil daily, there are no ill effects.

Obviously the known benefits are worth the cost and effort involved.

However please note that the oil-saliva-mucus mix you spit out during and after oil “pullying” has the potential, to cake upon and clog the drainage pipes. You are thus advised to spit out into the ground/earth or into the nearest trashcan and not into wash basins/ toilets.

Q Can oil – pullying” be practiced by all?

A. YES. by the young and the old, and whether ill or fit, and it can be done along with other methods of health care.

Q. Have you anything else to say?

A. YES Oil “pullying” is an easy and convenient way to improve your health.

Here’s wishing you effective and healthful “Oil Pullying”.

General Advice:

Start with just 5 minutes a day. Fifteen minutes of swishing is a long time, and while the longer you “pulli” the more bacteria you will remove, 5 or 10 minutes will still offer some benefit. Also. If your jaw starts aching a few minutes, slow down. “Don’t work too hard”. A gentle swishing, pushing and sucking the oil through the teeth is all that’s required.

Don’t swallow. If you find it hard not to, you likely have too much oil in your mouth. Spit out some and continue with a smaller amount. Also, REMEMBER – don’t spit it down the sink, as the oil could clog your pipes. Just discard the used oil into the nearest trash can or into the ground / earth.

Don’t skip brushing and flossing. Oil pullying should never replace routine dental visits and traditional home oral care. It doesn’t reverse the effects of tooth decay, but it’s a great supplemental therapy with many additional benefits to general health.