The Effect of Oil Pulling on Oral Health-related Quality of Life

To date, there are no studies assessing the impact of mouth rinses on the oral health-related quality of life in healthy patients with gingivitis. Thus, this study aimed to assess the effect of oil pulling on the OHRQoL using the 14-item OHIP questionnaire (OHIP-14). The null hypothesis stated, that there would be no significant difference in OHIP-14 scores between individuals with gingivitis performing oil pulling with sesam-based oil and those using distilled water over an eight-week period.

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Key information

Conditions

Oral Health Related Quality of Life

Age range

18 year–99 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Medical University Innsbruck

Innsbruck, Tyrol, 6020, Austria

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

age ≥ 18 years
contractual capability
the presence of ≥ 10 teeth,
community periodontal index of treatment needs (CPITN) grade 1 or 2

Exclusion criteria

missing consent
community periodontal index of treatment needs (CPITN) grade 0, 3 or 4
pregnancy or breastfeeding
systemic diseases or conditions that are associated with an increased risk of infection or necessitate concomitant antibiotic therapy with dental treatment
mental and behavioral disorders that impede (verbal) communication
allergy against sesame(oil)
intake of antibiotics 6 months prior to or during study duration
intake of medication potentially influencing gingival inflammation or bleeding (e.g. anticoagulants, cortisone)
infectious diseases (e.g. HIV, hepatitis B or C)
fixed orthodontic appliances
ongoing oil pulling or mouth rinsing
adult guardianship
insufficient nasal breathing

Treatment and study plan

sesame oil

Other

15min of oil pulling with 15ml sesame-based oil for 8 weeks

Distilled water

Other

15min rinsing with 15ml distilled water for 8 weeks

Primary outcomes

OHIP

Time frame: first follow up after 4 weeks, full study duration 8 weeks

The Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), a questionnaire with 14 questions, evaluates the impact of oral health on quality of life across seven domains: functional limitation, physical pain, psychological discomfort, physical disability, psychological disability, social disability, and speech limitation. Each of the 14 items is rated on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (never) to 4 (very often). A total score of zero reflects the best possible oral health-related quality of life, while a score of 56 indicates the poorest. The validated German version of the questionnaire was used

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Christine Zürcher

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2022
Primary completion: 2023
Study completion: 2023
First posted: Jul 11, 2025
Registry last updated: Jul 11, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed