Gandoosha Or Oil Pulling For Maintaining Oral Hygiene

: Admin : 2022-06-03

What Is Gandoosha Or Oil Pulling In Ayurveda?

Gandoosha is an ayurvedic technique of holding liquids in the mouth for few minutes. Kavala is the gargling technique and Gandoosha is keeping oil in mouth for some time. In Ayurveda, Kavala and Gandoosha are the procedures described in Dincharya that is the daily regimen and are useful in prevention of the diseases of the mouth, teeth and the gums.

How Is Gandoosha Performed?

Gandoosha is performed by filling the mouth in the morning with oil or medicated water daily and holding for a few minutes without moving it inside the oral cavity.

Why The Technique Of Gandoosha Is Performed?

Oil pulling or Gandoosha is an essential ayurvedic technique that has been used to prevent decay, oral odour, gum bleeding, dryness of throat, cracked lips and for strengthening the teeth, gums and the jaw. It is a simple daily regimen, which, when done routinely, enhances the senses, brings about a feeling of freshness and maintains clarity in the voice. After adopting this procedure properly, one feels lightness and clarity in the mouth. It also relieves any kind of pain and discomfort related to mouth. A Gandoosha is to be held inside the oral cavity till there is uncontrollable salivation, secretions of tears from the eyes or mucous or watery discharge through the nose.

Kavala is another procedure of holding comparatively small quantity of liquid in the mouth; make it move briskly inside and spitting out quickly. Kavala is actually the gargling technique which removes loss of appetite, bad taste, dirt and excess salivation from the mouth. Both Gandoosha and Kavala are effective procedures to keep the mouth healthy and fresh.

What Are The Types Of Gandoosha Or Oil Pulling?

Oil pulling is used for gargling and keeping inside the mouth using oil. Not only oil but many types of liquids can be used for this purpose. Gandoosha is called as oil pulling. Liquids other than oil are also used for this ayurvedic technique. Here, there is no gargling. The liquid is filled to the maximum capacity of mouth and it is held inside the mouth for specific amount of time. Later, it is spit out for better results.

Here are the types of Oil pulling of Gandoosha:

• Lubricating with oils and fats: This is used for Vata imbalance disorder. It is done by the use of oil processed with herbs of sweet, sour and salt tastes.
• Palliative for Pitta imbalance disorder: It is done by herbs of bitter, astringent and sweet tastes.
• Cleansing or purifying: Used for Kapha imbalance disorder. It is with herbs of bitter, pungent, sour, salt tastes and possessing hot property.
• Healing:  It is done with herbs of astringent and bitter taste.

What Are The Different Liquids Used Other Than Oil In Gandoosha?

Different liquids used for Gandoosha are:

• Fats: oil, ghee milk
• Honey with water
• Fermented gruel
• Wine
• Juice of meat or meat soup
• Urine of animals such as cow urine.
• Fermented grain liquid

The liquids may be mixed with an herbal paste or may be cooked or raw. The liquids should be of a comfortable temperature to touch and to hold in the mouth.

How To Do Gandoosha Or Oil Pulling Methodically?

• The person should sit in a place devoid of breeze but in mild sunlight.
• His or her shoulders and neck should be massaged with plain sesame oil. Massage can be given for 5 to 10 minutes.
• After gentle massage, fomentation is given for 2 to 3 minutes. It can be just washing face and neck with hot water, or mopping face with towel dipped in hot water or exposing the face to steam. Eyes should be covered with cold cloth, during fomentation.
• After fomentation, oil pulling or Gandoosha is done by keeping the oil or the liquid inside the mouth.
• Keeping his or her face slightly lifted up, he or she should hold the liquid in his mouth till the mouth gets filled with Kapha or till the nose and eyes start secreting liquid.
• Then the contents of the mouth are spitted out.

Benefits Of Gandoosha Or Oil Pulling

• Sesame oil gargling is beneficial for the strength of jaws, depth of voice, flabbiness of face, excellent gustatory sensation and good taste for food. One will never get dryness of throat, lip cracks or cavities in the teeth
• Ghee and milk are very useful for oil pulling as it cures the wounds
• Holding honey in the mouth removes the sliminess of the mouth, heals the ulcers quickly, relieves burning sensation and thirst and heals oral ulcers.
• Holding fermented grain liquid in the mouth removes distaste, dirt and bad smell from the mouth.
• Holding comfortable warm water brings about lightness and cleansing of the mouth.

Are There Any Side Effects Of Gandoosha?

Though, Irimedadi tailam is the most common herbal oil prescribed for oil pulling, a person can have frequent throat infections that is small white or red bumps on tonsils and throat after using it for oil pulling. This happens due to bad quality and brand of the oil.

After oil pulling, one must rinse their mouth and wash the face thoroughly with Luke warm water. If needed, one can brush teeth with herbal tooth powder.