Kavala
The dynamic Ayurvedic mouth rinse: a small amount of oil or herbal decoction actively swished around the mouth — the mobile form of oil pulling.
Kavala designates in Sanskrit the mouthful that can still be moved around. It is Ayurveda’s dynamic mouth rinse: you take a moderate quantity of oil, herbal decoction or warm salted water, and swish it actively between the teeth and cheeks for several minutes before spitting it out. It forms a pair with gandusha, its static counterpart, in which the mouth is filled to capacity and the liquid held still.
In the classical texts, kavala and gandusha belong to the daily care of the mouth, together with the tongue scraper and the chewing stick. Tradition recommends them for the health of the gums, fresh breath, strong teeth and a comfortable throat. The modern practice of oil pulling — fifteen to twenty minutes of coconut or sesame oil kept in motion — descends directly from kavala.
A concrete example: a warm licorice decoction or a spoonful of sesame oil, five to ten minutes of gentle swishing in the morning, then the usual rinse and brushing. The jaw muscles do work: start short. The detailed technique, the choice of oils and a critical look from modern dentistry are in our guide to oil pulling; the practice pairs well with morning tongue scraping.