Effectiveness of coconut oil pulling as an adjuvant to oral hygiene procedure on plaque-induced gingivitis among middle-aged adults – An interventional study

Abstract

Objectives: Oral health correlates with systemic health, and maintaining oral health is very important because the oral cavity is considered as a reflection of the general well-being of a human body. Daily plaque removal with a toothbrush is an important component of most oral hygiene programs intended to prevent and control two globally leading oral afflictions dental caries and periodontal diseases. Failure to comply and lack of technical skills of the patient has lessened the effectiveness of conventional tooth brushing. Because of this, research efforts have focused on adjuvant therapy along with brushing for reducing and controlling plaque-induced oral diseases. One such measure is oil pulling. Oil pulling has been used extensively as a traditional Indian folk remedy for many years to prevent decay, oral malodor, bleeding gums, dryness of throat, cracked lips, etc. Most of the studies have been done using sesame oil. Since coconut oil also has many health effects such as boosting the immune system and antimicrobial properties, this can also help in fighting against various pathogens of oral cavity that will in turn act as an effective plaque control agent. Hence, with this background, this study is contemplated to evaluate the benefit of oil pulling along with normal brushing techniques in adults under the age group of 35–44 years. Materials and Methods: Forty healthy subjects belonging to both the sexes who presented with plaque-induced gingivitis will be selected for the study and will be divided into control and study groups. The patients will be informed about the nature and purpose of the study. Health education will be provided to all the students. The modified bass technique will be demonstrated to the participants and they are directed to brush twice daily for 3 min. Toothbrush and toothpaste will be provided to all participants. Among them, 20 subjects were instructed to continue their normal oral hygiene procedures along with coconut oil pulling. Data collected were subjected to appropriate statistical tests using SPSS version 20. Results: A highly statistical difference was seen between the two groups and within the groups. Conclusion: The usage of coconut oil pulling as an adjuvant to oral hygiene gives a promising result.