Abstract

Abstract : Extensive swishing of oil in the oral cavity for a prolonged period is commonly referred to as “Oil pulling”. It is a long-established ancient herbal practice for maintaining a stable oral environment.
Virgin Coconut oil(VCO) in recent times has gained popularity globally due to its medicinal and holistic properties. Ministry of Ayush is a Central Government initiative which promotes oil pulling as a preventive measure to treat early symptoms of Covid-19.
VCO is effective against many intraoral bacterial and fungal infections because it contains lauric acid which is a major fatty acid component. Studies have evaluated the effect of oil pulling on Streptococcus mutans count showing its potential to reduce the levels of S. mutans in saliva. There are number of edible oils which are used for oil pulling therapy but coconut oil is one of the most popular choice amongst all with insufficient number of scientific studies done to clinically prove its ability to reduce the incidence of tooth decay and teeth whitening.
In this presentation we review existing literature regarding the mechanism, composition, benefits and scientific clinical studies related to coconut oil pulling as a therapy on all aspects of oral health.