The aim of this pilot study was to assess changes in gingival bleeding and biofilm accumulation in young adults undergoing oil-pulling treatment together with standardized oral hygiene practices, compared to a control group of patients that did not undergo oil pulling but maintained the standard oral hygiene practices outlined in the study.

The experiment was designed as a randomized, two-way, single-blind, crossover with a 2-month washout period between two, 10-day experimental periods. A total of 28, randomly selected dental students who met the inclusion criteria were assessed for gingival bleeding and biofilm on six teeth before and after rinsing with sesame oil for 10 minutes per day, for a period of 10 days. The mean difference between the test and control group's reduction in scores was analyzed using the paired t-test. The level of significance was set at ? (alpha) = 0.05.

There were no statistically significant differences on plaque biofilm accumulation and bleeding when compared with the control group. There was a higher reduction in gingival bleeding scores (albeit not statistically significant) among those who used sesame oil compared to those who did not.

Based on the current study, it appears that oil pulling for 10 minutes and for a period of 10 days using sesame oil has no significant benefit over brushing and flossing alone, on a sample of 28 dental students.

Rayner S, Herrick T, Chiesa C, Hoover J, Karunanayake C. Efficacy of “Oil Pulling” on Gingival Health and Biofilm Accumulation in a Group of Young Adults: A Pilot Study. Int J Experiment Dent Sci 2016;5(2):113-117.