I'm not sure if it will affect implants negatively or positively. As far as partials i would say to remove the partials prior to rinsing. Also to note you should never sleep with partials in your mouth and as this is done first thing in morning we would assume the partials are not in. Hopr this helps. Dr E M Caruso

Having looked into this somewhat further and researching the topic of "oil pulling".

It is an old custom and should have no effect on partials or implants.

Oil Pulling Therapy - is an ancient medicinal technique that involves swishing oil in the mouth. It is mentioned in ancient literature describing oil pulling therapy as capable of both improving oral health and treating systemic diseases such as diabetes, sinus infection, or asthma. There is little to no scientific evidence backing these claims but there have been a few oil pulling therapy studies that have shown a reduction in dental plaque, bad breath, and even gingivitis.

Wikipedia's footnoted description is adequate to answer the first question. As to the other two, the answer to both is "yes." While implants benefit like teeth from the therapeutic effects of this holistic alternative to rinsing with such things as antibiotics, fluorides or mouthwashes (coupled with mechanical removal of plaque and stimulation of gum tissues), dentures, on the other hand, may not realize the same results. Some oils can incorporate into the porous surface of the acrylics, which can cause staining and malodor, in addition to trapping bacteria. The most obvious adverse effect, however, especially for dentures which are either loose, or lack sufficient retention, is the fact that the oils lubricate both the denture and the tissues, making them more slippery.. Those who wear dentures (partial or full), should leave the dentures out during the 10-20 minute rinses until after the normal mouth cleaning routine (brushing, flossing, etc.) is completed.

The patient rinses the mouth with one tablespoon of oil for 15–20 minutes before eating/drinking) then spits it out and brushes the teeth, gums, tongue (softly) and palate thoroughly with water. Cold pressed (raw) oil is often said to be critical to the alleged effectiveness. Sesame oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil and olive oil are the most recommended. Oil pulling is usually recommended to be done first thing in the morning, followed by rinsing the mouth with (sea salt) salt water and then brushing the teeth in a normal morning routine.

Oil pulling is a fairly new phenomenon to dentistry. I researched some and found one article that summarized very nicely where we stand. I will paste that article here.

Lory Laughter, RDH, BS

momylaugh@aol.com

After more than 16 years of practice and countless hours on the computer, I pride myself on being current with most dental topics. Google, PubMed, Bing, and Yahoo are often open on my computer at the same time for faster and more complete browsing and searching. Even with all this, oil pulling therapy took me by surprise.

A former patient came by the office with an article about oil pulling therapy. She said it was the reason she had discontinued her dental appointments, and she raved about its health promoting attributes. She explained how the oil pulls toxins out of the body, thereby curing most health ailments. She then left me an article, which I briefly glanced at and immediately filed in my cluttered locker.

Recently, two patients came to their hygiene appointment saying the newfound therapy of oil pulling has made the toothbrush obsolete. They explained that since the bodily toxins are removed and expectorated, there is no need to scrub anything from the teeth. I admit both patients had nice looking and even shiny gingiva – with increased probing depths, bleeding upon touching, and sensitivity to ultrasonic or hand instrumentation. I needed to research oil pulling so I could guide them regarding therapy.

According to Dr. Karach (degree not given) onwww.oilpulling.com, the therapy heals "headaches, bronchitis, tooth pain, thrombosis, eczema, ulcers, and diseases of the stomach, intestines, heart, blood, kidney, liver, lungs, and women's diseases. It heals diseases of nerves, paralysis, and encephalitis. It prevents the growth of malignant tumors, cuts and heals them. Chronic sleeplessness is cured." These are bold claims without a single scientific source to back them up.

The site recommends sunflower or sesame oil for the therapy, and cautions often not to swallow the oil once pulling begins because it is poisonous to the body. The site claims to have thoroughly documented research on the therapy, but no sources are given. Failure to reveal sources or only giving abstracts as conclusions should raise a red flag to those seeking scientific answers.

During my search for answers I found PubMed. (pubmed.com) By not setting any limits to the oil pulling therapy search, three sources related to dentistry came up. The two accessible articles supported oil pulling as a way to decrease microorganisms, specifically Streptococcus mutans, in the study groups. Both studies compared oil pulling therapy to chlorhexidine mouthwash, and though the conclusions did not state this, the chlorhexidine group displayed a reduction much sooner than the oil group. From this limited information, one could support oil pulling therapy in much the same manner as rinsing with chlorhexidine and expect similar results in s. mutans reduction after one to two weeks.

I searched several social sites for dentistry for more information on oil pulling, with no success. If it is being discussed, it is in venues I cannot access. The sites outside of dentistry or medicine that support oil pulling as a stand-alone therapy rely strictly on the use of "Dr." as a title and for testimonials. Not one credible source was found to support the idea that oil pulling negates the need for brushing.

This search brought a couple of needs to mind. First, as health-care providers we need to know where to direct our patients for scientific evidence-based information about oral care. Companies who manufacture and promote oral care items such as Colgate, Sunstar America (GUM Brand), Philips Sonicare, and Oral-B all have Web site space dedicated to patient education. In fact, if you enter your favorite toothbrush brand in a search, chances are the company has a patient education section. While there is the motive to sell products, these sites are evidence-based and list valid resources for information.

Secondly, as a profession we need to be studying and discussing alternative topics often and in greater depth. My oil pulling research is not over, by any means, but finding concise scientific sources is proving difficult. This is a topic I would enjoy seeing on the blogs, forums, and e-mail groups. Alternative medicine and dentistry is here to stay; let's open the dialogue and get involved.

Lory Laughter, RDH, BS, practices clinically in Napa, Calif. She is owner of Dental IQ, a business responsible for the Annual Napa Dental Experience. Lory combines her love for travel with speaking nationally on a variety of topic.

My personal thoughts are that oil pulling has no scientific foundation. There appear to be other remedies that are just as effective. I do not see any evidence that it will be harmful to existing dental work including partial dentures and implants. However, there is also no research to support my conjecture. Personally I would wait for more credible information before trying something that appears to be more experimental in nature.

While scientific evidence is lacking to support any systemic benefits of oil pulling, some studies have suggested that it may reduce oral plaque, halitosis, and gingivitis. These studies all show that either chlorhexidine or oils can reduce plaque if included in a regular or routine oral healthcare program among those with high plaque scores and don't show that oils themselves improve scores, but rather that proper oral healthcare does.

It would have no effect on partials or implants.

Oil-pulling: this is allegedly an ancient Indian remedy for reducing the number of bad bacteria in your mouth. Supposedly, rinsing with oils gets bacteria “stuck” in the oil and helps remove it. Quite frankly, there is no good science to support this. There have been some studies that showed a reduction in bacteria in people who rinsed with coconut or sesame oil; however, the same reduction was achieved faster with a simple chlorhexidine rinse. Heck – you can get that same reduction by swishing with Listerine, Crest, Colgate, or other mouthrinses. But is oil-pulling some magic remedy. Ummmmmmm………NO.

I would be worried about the oil staining a partial. I don't think it would hurt and implant. But using Listerine would be WAY better!

Michael Nugent

Oil pulling will not affect implants. As you would not do oil pulling with your partials in place, it will not affect your partials either.

Best,

Anita Purohit, DDS