Dhanapal Raghu, Kalambettu Aravind, Arief Erry Mochamad, Selvaraj Siddharthan

AIMST University, Malaysia

Running title – Oil pulling and oral health

Received: 1-09-2023

Revised: 7-09-2023

Accepted: 14-09-2023

Address for correspondence: Dr. Raghu Dhanapal MDS, Faculty of Dentistry, AIMST University, 08100 Bedaong, Malaysia

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How to cite this article:.Dhanapal R, Kalambettu A, Arief E M, Selvaraj S. The role of traditional Indian medicine in oral health – An insight into oil pulling. J Oral Biomed Sci 2023; 2(3):110-112

Abstract

Oil pulling, a traditional oral hygiene method, involves swishing oil in the mouth to promote oral and systemic health benefits. In oil pulling commonly used oils like coconut, sesame, and olive oil exhibit diverse mechanisms of action, ranging from antibacterial and antifungal properties to reducing biofilm formation. The oil pulling has multifaced benefits in contrast to other traditional oral health practices such as neem or miswak sticks.

Incorporating traditional medicine practices like oil pulling into oral hygiene routines can complement conventional methods and enhance overall oral health. Maintaining proper oral hygiene is crucial to prevent oral diseases and associated systemic disorders.  Oral hygiene technique called “oil pulling” entails swishing oil about the mouth to improve both oral and general health. Oral health literacy plays a pivotal role in promoting oral hygiene habits within populations. Traditional oral health practices encompass knowledge and practices indigenous to various cultures, this manuscript emphasises on the beneficial effect of oil pulling a traditional oral health practice.

Key words – Oil pulling, traditional medicine, oral health.

 

The state of the oral cavity affects the individual overall health and quality of life. Oral health depends on the proper oral hygiene. The failure to maintain proper oral health can lead to oral diseases and some systemic disorders are also associated with common plaque related pathologies.1 Oral health literacy rate tends to enhance the oral hygiene habits in the population.2

Traditional medicine in Oral Health

WHO defines traditional medicine as “Traditional medicine has the sum total of the knowledge, skill, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness.” Oral health literacy has been emphasized since medieval times in early Indian literature of traditional medicine.3

The main traditional medicines in India include Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani.  Ayurveda based health instructions and disease treatment dates back to 5000 years of medical literature. The various oral health related procedures practiced from traditional Indian medicine, include the chewing of neem or miswak sticks helps reduce caries, mango leaf ribs helps tongue, oil pulling in plaque control and liquorice root acts with antibacterial agent. 4 Natural plant based traditional medicine has gained popularity over the antibiotic due to the resistance induced by the chemical antibiotic formulations. Oil pulling is one traditional oral hygiene method which overcomes the drawbacks of antibiotic resistance. 5

Oil pulling

Oil pulling is a method of swishing the oral cavity with oil, for the betterment of oral and systemic health. Traditional Indian population has held to various health benefits of oil pulling such as strengthen the gums, teeth, and jaw. In addition, it is thought to enhance the prevention against dental caries, gingival and lip abnormalities, and oral malodour. 6

Methodology

Oil pulling is an adjuvant oral health procedure which should be done on an empty stomach, ideally first thing in the morning and it is normally followed by regular brushing. The adult suggested dosage of one tablespoon (10 ml) of the oil is swished between the teeth for around 2 to 5 minutes, and then spit out. Oil viscosity is altered by swishing it about in the mouth for the prescribed amount of time, resulting in a thin, milky white consistency. The oil should be spit out to avoid the ill-effects of bacteria and it’s toxic products. As an adjuvant oral health procedure, oil pulling should be followed by tooth brushing.7,8

Mechanism of action of different oils

Three commonly used oils for oil pulling include the coconut, sesame and olive oil. The beneficial effects vary, which is based on the composition of the oils.

Coconut oil

The majority of the fatty acids in coconut oil are medium chain fatty acids, in contrast to most of the other dietary oils. Lauric acid in the coconut oil has anti-streptococcal, anti-candida activity, and also anti-inflammatory properties, it makes up almost half of these medium-chain fatty acids.9,10

Sesame oil

Polyunsaturated fatty acids present in sesame oil, constituents sesamin, and sesamolin reduces free radical injury occurring in oral cavity, and the oil has antibacterial activity. Furthermore, the roots of sesame herb produce chlorosesamone has antifungal activity. This oil has been effective against plaque related gingivitis and dental caries, also reduces halitosis.11, 12

Olive oil

Olive oil has predominance of mono-unsaturated fatty acids. Oleic acid the principal ingredient has a role in decreasing the biofilm formation. In addition, the presences of other phenolic compounds, squalene, vitamins A, E, and K; and phytosterols alter the immune response and reduce the reactive oxygen species.13

Mechanism of action of oil pulling

Three main pathways for oil pulling to boost the oral health in individuals and prevents the occurrence of oral diseases.

  1. Plaque accumulation inhibitory action

Fatty acids may impart the tooth surface with hydrophobic properties that prevent oral bacteria from colonizing. Furthermore, the oils may inhibit formation of the glucans. 7,14

  1. Antibacterial and antifungal action

Fatty acids in the oils used for oil pulling, such as the lauric acid, oleic acid, sesamin, and sesamolin have an inherent antibacterial and antifungal action. This helps protect against oral diseases. 9,12,13

  1. Cleansing action

Fatty of the oil undergo saponification. It is the process of formation of soaps by the hydrolyzed salts of fatty acids through the mechanism of alkalinisation, with the components of the saliva. These products help in cleaning the oral cavity of the debris, and thereby reduce the plaque accumulation.7,15

The short communication gives an insight into the beneficial effects of oil pulling and also about

Conclusion

The traditional medical remedies have a lot potential in the treatment oral diseases. There seems to be lack of uniformity in the conduct of the clinical trials, and hence various systematic reviews have emphasized the importance of long term studies and uniformity of oil pulling trails.  Oil pulling can help overcome the antibiotic associated resistance with conventional medicated mouthwashes.

Conflict of interest: None

Source of support: Nil

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