Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Researchers found that rinsing with sesame oil (called oil pulling) was as effective as chlorhexidine in reducing bad breath and the bacteria that cause it.
In a 2014 study (1), 60 female students were assigned to 1 of 3 groups (20 females per group) for 3 weeks:
- Control group where subjects rinsed with a 15 milliliters of a placebo liquid
- Sesame oil group where subjects rinsed with a 15 milliliters of sesame
- Chlorhexidine group where subjects rinsed with a 15 milliliters of chlorhexidine
Unfortunately, the researchers did not state the duration of rinsing or at what time of the day the rinsing was done. Before and after the study, dental exams were completed to produce a gingival index, a plaque index, and a count of bacteria in the mouth (2).
After 22 days, the following results were seen between the 3 groups:
| Placebo | Chlorhexidine | Sesame Oil | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gingival Index | 7.7% decrease (1.69 to 1.56) | 13.6% decrease (1.77 to 1.53) | 12.9% decrease (1.71 to 1.49) | 0.001 |
| Plaque Index | 5.1% decrease (2.39 to 2.27) | 10.7% decrease (2.45 to 2.19) | 14.1% decrease (2.42 to 2.08) | 0.001 |
| Anaerobic colony count (units/milliliter) | 1.2% decrease (7.89 to 7.80) | 13.6% decrease (8.02 to 6.93) | 11.7% decrease (7.99 to 7.06) | 0.001 |
The researchers went on to cite many benefits to rinsing with sesame oil (also called “oil pulling”) (3), most importantly of which is sesame oil “generates antioxidants which kill microbes and cause their cell wall damage” as well as being more palatable than other oils. In addition, sesame oil does not cause staining, have a lingering aftertaste and “is five to six times (more) cost-effective than chlorhexidine and is readily available in every household” (4).
For the researchers, “Oil pulling with sesame oil is equally efficacious as chlorhexidine in reducing oral malodor and microbes causing it” and “should be promoted as a preventive home care therapy.”
Source: Sood, Poonam, Aruna Devi, and Ridhi Narang. “Comparative efficacy of oil pulling and chlorhexidine on oral malodor: A randomized controlled trial.” Journal of clinical and diagnostic research: JCDR 8.11 (2014): ZC18.
Click here to read the full text study.
Posted March 30, 2015.
References:
- Sood P. Comparative efficacy of oil pulling and chlorhexidine on oral malodor: a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Diagn Res 2014 Nov;8(11):ZC18-21. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2014/9393.5112. Epub 2014 Nov 20
- Loe H. The Gingival Index, the Plaque Index and the Retention Index. J Periodontol. 1967;38:610-16
- Asokan S. Oil pulling therapy. Indian J Dent Res. 2008;19:69.
- Asokan S, Kumar RS, Emmadi P, Raghuraman R , Sivakumar N. Effect of oil pulling on halitosis and microorganisms causing halitosis: A randomized controlled pilot trial. J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent. 2011;29:90-94.
