Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of oil pulling (OP), chlorhexidine mouthrinse (CHX) and saline rinse (SR) after nonsurgical periodontal treatment (NSPT) in patients with periodontitis.

Materials and Methods: Patients diagnosed with periodontitis were randomly assigned to one of the three intervention groups: OP group (oil pulling with coconut oil), CHX group (0.12% CHX mouthrinse) and SR group (2% saline rinse). All patients underwent NSPT and afterwards they were instructed to use their assigned adjunctive therapy daily for four weeks. Clinical periodontal parameters, including plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL) and bleeding on probing (BOP), were measured at baseline and at 4-weeks. Additionally, patient perceptions and adverse events were evaluated through a questionnaire.

Results: Forty-five individuals (15 patients per group) participated in the study, at baseline no significant differences were found in any of the clinical periodontal parameters between the groups. At 4-weeks’ follow-up, all three groups demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in all clinical parameters (p<0.05). OP and CHX groups presented similar levels of PI, GI, and BOP (p>0.05), while SR group exhibited higher levels (p<0.05). Oil pulling was associated with fewer adverse effects and patients in the OP group reported higher overall satisfaction with the product.

Conclusion: Oil pulling with coconut oil may be considered an effective adjunct to NSPT in managing periodontitis, providing clinical benefits similar to CHX mouthwash, but with the advantage of fewer adverse events.