Oil therapy is a traditional Indian medicine that dates back 3,000 years and involves swishing approximately 1 teaspoon of either coconut, sesame, or sunflower oil, into the mouth and then spitting it out.

Recent studies have shown that oil pulling helps against gingivitis, plaque and microorganisms that can cause bad breath, by removing bacteria in the mouth that stick to the oil.

The longer we oil pull for, the more bacteria will be removed. There are some suggestions that 20 minutes a day is required. This isn’t really essential, as 5 or 10 minutes will still offer some benefit, particularly if you're doing it every day. The more we stick to this traditional therapy, the less bacteria we will have in our mouths; the cleaner our mouths will be.

It's important not to swallow the oil, but to spit the oil out. Put down the sink, the oil will solidify and block the drain. Just discard the used oil into the nearest trashcan or vanity bag. I would suggest oil pulling be used in addition to routine brushing and flossing. It should never replace routine dental visits and traditional home oral care.

It stands to reason that the less bacteria in the mouth the more well we will be. I  believe oil therapy helps us stay well for longer, since illness usually starts off in the mouth.

Having done oil pulling for a few months now, my teeth feel cleaner, my gums are healthier and my whole mouth feels more hygienic. It's certainly not the most pleasant way to start the day but I would still recommend it.