Parlor trick.

HerbDoctor

have done oil pulling for years, its the bomb for improving oral health. its an ayurvedic technique (ayurveda=traditional Indian herbal medicine). ayurveda translates as 'science of life', their preventive and lifestyle protocols are beautiful and effective.

i've had clients with deep pockets in their gums that were barely holding onto very loose teeth totally rehab their mouths using nutrition, herbs and this technique.

try it and see for yourself!

If "oil pulling" was billed only as beneficial from an oral hygiene standpoint, the claim wouldn't be too far off the mark (though it is very time-consuming for the minimal benefit offered).

Oddly though, believers promote it as an all-purpose cure, not only for mouth disorders but for systemic disease, "toxin removal" and other things for which evidence is lacking and there is no physiologic mechanism to account for the alleged effects.

Much better to stick with rational herbalism.

If "oil pulling" was billed only as beneficial from an oral hygiene standpoint, the claim wouldn't be too far off the mark (though it is very time-consuming for the minimal benefit offered).

Oddly though, believers promote it as an all-purpose cure, not only for mouth disorders but for systemic disease, "toxin removal" and other things for which evidence is lacking and there is no physiologic mechanism to account for the alleged effects.

Much better to stick with rational herbalism.

Eric and Kali both gave a good answer.

HerbDoctor

This post was edited by HerbDoctor on Sun, Mar 3, 13 at 15:12

oh for pete's sake. eric and herb DOCTOR have never tried it but are experts enough to offer definitive opinions.

the questioner can discount millenia of empirical evidence or take the word of these two. bwhahaha

are you guys for real????

If "you have to try X remedy before you can say anything about it" was a valid viewpoint, then no criticism could be permitted about any nonsensical, useless and/or dangerous treatment unless you'd subjected yourself to it first.

That includes things like ear candling, coffee enemas, drinking one's own urine or any of a thousand other pieces of foolishness (each of which has enthusiastic fans claiming "empirical evidence" a.k.a. anecdotes).

And unless I missed something, "oil pulling" is not an herbal remedy.

An actual herbal remedy that may turn out to have uses in evidence-based medicine is getting publicity this week - febrifugine, derived from the plant Dichroa febrifuga. It has immunosuppressive properties which have led to clinical testing as a potential anticancer and anti-scleroderma agent. It also inhibits protein synthesis in humans and the malaria pathogen Plasmodium falciparum.

Here is a link that might be useful: Febrifugine

i've had two members of this forum email me to say they tried oil pulling based on my suggestion and its working better than they ever imagined it could,, that their oral health is improving dramatically in a short time. they also both said they won't post that because of the way eric treats people here. unfortunately its not against forum rules to be a ______, use your imagination.

so ridicule away eric, we're laughing at ya buddy!

I have started oil pulling. I read a study published by the National Institute of Health in Pub Med that oil pulling shows a significant lowering of aerobic mouth bacteria, and significant lowering of the gingivitis index. So they don't argue with it.
Anyone who has ever had their gums treated for pockets at the dentist knows that 1. it isn't cheap and 2. those treatments HURT!!!! So eric as usual, hasn't thought about what he says here. Likely because he has never had conventional medicine treat the problem.
I am on my fifth day of this. I do 20 minutes of sesame oil (Kadoya) in the morning. I then rinse with salt water and brush with baking soda. My bad breath is gone. My mouth feels the kind of clean you get after a cleaning at the dentist. I wake up raring to go, I am not groggy. If this is all it does, I am fine with it. I am hoping it does more, but that's to be seen. I will keep you all posted.

Here is a link that might be useful: Effect of Oil Pulling on Plaque Induced Gingivitis

The linked article abstract was not published by the NIH, but reflects a small, apparently unblinded* study in an Indian dental journal which found that "oil pulling" with sesame oil was effective from an oral hygiene standpoint, similar to chlorhexidine mouthwash. Not surprising, and I'd bet that swishing plain water around your mouth also reduces bacterial counts.

As I said earlier (cacye apparently missed this): "If "oil pulling" was billed only as beneficial from an oral hygiene standpoint, the claim wouldn't be too far off the mark (though it is very time-consuming for the minimal benefit offered)."

From what I've seen in alt med forums, "oil pulling" enthusiasts commonly spend a long time (20 minutes or more, multiple times daily) doing this, not just for oral hygiene purposes but under the impression that that it is a cure for myriad other health problems, a view not supported by evidence or common sense (unless someone can explain by what mechanism this practice is effective against "asthma, allergies, chronic fatigue, diabetes, migraine headaches, PMS, and chronic skin problems" (to quote claims made by one typical source).

Meantime, for those interested in oral health who'd rather not invest that amount of time "oil pulling", there are herbal alternatives to typical mouthwash - for instance, using turmeric (which has at least as much evidence backing its use to promote oral hygiene as does "oil pulling", and sounds much more tolerable to use).

*in a blinded study, the investigators would not have known which group used which treatment, to prevent observer bias.

This post was edited by eric_oh on Thu, Mar 7, 13 at 19:47

I didn't miss what you said. You missed what I said. Have you EVER paid a dentist to scale your teeth? Try it. Then you won't dismiss this as not worth the time and money. Yeah, you said it is ok as just oral hygeine. I got that fine. But the tone and idea with it that this is kinda a waste of time and money is there, and I didn't miss that, either. So quit. Go bug someone else. Pub Med does not argue with the study, a triple blind one. There are several others. I have said I am trying it, and I am happy with the results. Why, exactly, eric, do you have to have problems with it? Why not understand your tone and point of your reply (that it is a waste of time and money) is not researched all that well? And, since you aren't willing to try it, why, even bother with answering on here? You don't try most of the stuff you are for or against here. You say that doesn't matter, but I suggest you look up nocebo, and think about it. You don't beleive in hardly any of it. So of course you won't ever really learn what it does for anyone else. It is an easy, prejudiced stand to take. I'm sure you rationalize it all day long. It still isn't real experience, any more than a class in biology is working in the field.

Eric, I have a question. have you ever had the power of belief? Have you ever even thought that is important in people's lives? That is why I tell you to think about nocebo. The world is full of examples of people who believe to be well. My mother decided to die, and no doctor telling her being ok stopped it. Before you do anything here, think of this. The mind is the HEALING organ. This is why I tell you to look up nocebo. Placebo is not a simple thing. Real healing isn't either. You don't do anyone service here. People who could be well because they BELIEVE it are not served by you. Think about it. Go somewhere else. You just fight things that help no one here.

eric, you leave no hope to people. You are NOT A DECENT PERSON. Get lost. Don't show up on anything I ask about or say about. In my book you are a worthless piece. Get lost. i will not answer you further. I really think you don't care about people here. You think about your ego. Find some other forum to mess with others on. Get lost.

There's limited evidence that taking a placebo may be effective even if patients know it's a placebo. Such results need replication in larger-scale testing and to be validated long-term - but they suggest that pointing out a treatment is likely to be solely placebo effect doesn't "spoil" it for users.

So "oil pullers" shouldn't necessarily fear the magic will be diminished by skeptical comments - and there are herbal or mainstream remedies that work whether or not you believe in them.

Baseless personal attacks are not worthy of response.*

*except to note that oil pulling, at least in this instance, doesn't seem effective in improving mood.size> :)

maybe we can all just agree to ignore eric, not respond to his jabs and insults. watch him dash himself on the rocks of his own unkindness and ignorance. that's what i've been trying to do and it works great, my time is too valuable to waste any more of it on him.

to the rest of you, cheers!

I agree.

When one has nothing to contribute besides ad hominems and trying to silence those with differing views, it's best to remain silent oneself.