ArticleCureus2026
The Effect of a Novel Natural Oil-Pulling Oral Rinse on Oral Microflora, Dental Plaque, and Gingivitis: A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.
Article in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
aimOral health conditions such as plaque accumulation, gingivitis, and halitosis are primarily caused by pathogenic oral microflora and remain a global concern due to their links with systemic diseases. While essential oil-based mouthwashes are effective, concerns over side effects such as dryness and taste alterations have spurred interest in natural alternatives such as oil-pulling rinses. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of a novel oil-pulling oral rinse compared to an alcohol-based anti-gingivitis mouthwash and placebo in reducing oral microbial counts, dental plaque, and gingivitis. MATERIALS AND
methodsA total of 63 adults (aged 18-50 years) with a modified gingival index (MGI) ≥ 1.75 and plaque index (PI) ≥ 1.95 were randomized into three groups: an oil-pulling oral rinse (test group), a marketed alcohol-based anti-gingivitis mouthwash (active comparator), and placebo. Participants used their assigned mouth rinse for 15 days. Primary outcomes included changes in oral microflora (colony-forming unit (CFU) counts of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and
resultsThe test group demonstrated a numerically greater reduction in gram-positive bacteria (69.3%) compared with the comparator (63.5%) and placebo (51.6%); however, these differences were not statistically significant. Gram-negative bacterial reduction was significantly greater in the test group (24.9%) than in the active comparator (22.1%) and placebo (11.0%) groups (p = 0.004). MGI improved by 2.7% (p = 0.015), and PI was reduced by 30.6% (p < 0.001). The test group also showed improvements in oral dryness (p < 0.001), breath freshness (p < 0.001), and teeth shade (p = 0.011). No serious AEs were reported.
conclusionThe evaluated oil-pulling oral rinse showed potential to reduce oral microbial counts and improve plaque and gingival parameters during short-term use. It presents a natural, well-tolerated alternative to conventional mouthwashes.
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