Does Coconut Oil Whiten Teeth? What the Evidence Says

Oil pulling means swishing a spoonful of oil around the mouth for several minutes and then spitting it out. It comes from traditional practice, and coconut oil is the version most often recommended online for whiter teeth.

What the studies measured

Coconut oil

A 2020 systematic review found four randomised trials with 182 participants¹ that tested coconut oil pulling. The review reports that the trials lasted between 7 and 14 days; in the staining trial, each rinse was used for four days. They measured plaque, gum inflammation, bleeding, bacteria in saliva and, in one trial, staining. None measured whether teeth became whiter.

Plaque scores and bacterial counts improved in the pooled results. The review's authors judged the data insufficient: the quality of the studies was mixed and the risk of bias was high. So the trials do not show whether oil pulling adds anything to normal brushing. The authors saw it as, at most, an addition to normal cleaning.

The staining result is often misread. One trial compared coconut oil with chlorhexidine, a mouthwash known to stain teeth. Coconut oil left less stain than chlorhexidine¹ (a stain score of 0.21 against 0.47). That shows it stained less than a staining mouthwash. It does not show that it whitened anything.

Oil pulling with any oil

A 2024 review of 25 trials with 1,184 participants² looked at oil pulling with different oils over 7 to 45 days. Chlorhexidine mouthwash reduced plaque more than oil pulling did. The authors rated the overall quality of the evidence as very low. Its abstract reports plaque, gum and bacteria results, not tooth colour.

Possible harms

The American Dental Association says there is an absence of documented tooth whitening from oil pulling³. It also says oil pulling has been associated with adverse events ranging from lipoid pneumonia to upset stomach and diarrhoea. Lipoid pneumonia is lung inflammation caused by oil getting into the lungs. The ADA gives no figure for how often these happen.

The bigger practical risk is what oil pulling replaces. If it takes the place of brushing with fluoride toothpaste, you lose something that does work. In adults, fluoride toothpaste reduced new decay compared with toothpaste without fluoride⁴.

Recipes online often add turmeric, baking soda or lemon to coconut oil. We have not found reliable evidence that any of these mixtures whitens teeth.

What removes stain

Most yellowing that people hope oil will fix is one of two things. Stain on the surface comes from coffee, tea, red wine or tobacco. The ADA says a wide range of these can be reduced by a professional clean or brushing with a whitening toothpaste³. Colour inside the tooth, from ageing or other causes, does not respond to toothpaste. Some of it can be lightened by bleaching, which you plan with a dentist after an examination. Sensitivity and gum irritation are its most common side effects, and whitening lightens only natural teeth⁵: fillings, crowns and veneers keep their colour.

If you still choose to oil pull, treat it as an extra, keeping in mind the side effects the ADA reports. Do not count it as whitening, and do not let it replace brushing.

A routine that helps

• Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste (1,350 to 1,500 ppm fluoride for adults), once last thing at night, and spit out rather than rinse⁶.
• Clean between your teeth every day.
• Rinse with water after coffee, tea or red wine.
• Keep to check-ups, and ask whether a clean would help with stain.

When to see a dentist

Book an examination if:

• stain remains after brushing well for a few weeks;
• one tooth is darker than the others;
• you see brown or black spots, or a spot feels rough or sticky;
• your gums bleed when you brush.

If you develop a cough, breathlessness or chest discomfort after oil pulling, stop and see a doctor.

Emergencies. Increasing tooth pain, facial swelling or a fever: see a dentist without waiting. Swelling that makes it hard to breathe, speak or swallow⁷, swelling that spreads to your eye or neck, a lot of swelling inside your mouth, or difficulty opening your mouth: go to an emergency department or call 112.

Frequently asked questions