Oil Pulling (Gandusha) and Oral Microbiome: An Evidence-Based Review
Abstract
The oral microbiome plays a crucial role in maintaining oral and systemic health. Dysbiosis of oral microbial flora has been implicated in dental caries, gingivitis, periodontitis, halitosis, and several systemic disorders. Oil pulling, an ancient Ayurvedic oral hygiene practice known as Gandusha or Kavala, has gained increasing scientific interest as a complementary preventive strategy for maintaining oral microbial balance. Gandusha involves retaining medicated or non-medicated oils in the oral cavity for a specific duration to promote oral detoxification and tissue strengthening. This review critically evaluates the role of oil pulling in modulating the oral microbiome and improving oral health outcomes through analysis of classical Ayurvedic literature and contemporary scientific evidence. A structured literature review was conducted using classical Ayurvedic texts and modern databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Evidence suggests that oil pulling with sesame oil, coconut oil, and medicated formulations may reduce oral bacterial load, plaque formation, gingival inflammation, and halitosis. Proposed mechanisms include mechanical cleansing, inhibition of bacterial adhesion, anti-inflammatory activity, and modulation of microbial ecology. Coconut oil demonstrates additional antimicrobial effects due to lauric acid content. Although several clinical studies report beneficial outcomes comparable to chlorhexidine mouthwash, methodological limitations such as small sample sizes and short study duration restrict definitive conclusions. Integrating Gandusha into preventive oral healthcare may provide a safe, economical, and holistic adjunctive approach. Further microbiome-based longitudinal studies are required to establish standardized protocols and mechanistic evidence.
Keywords
Gandusha, oil pulling, oral microbiome, Ayurveda, oral hygiene, periodontal disease, oral health