Two of the major FMCG players - Dabur India and Colgate-Palmolive (India) have decided to expand their oral care portfolios this week, with the launch of pulling oil, when Indian consumers are increasingly seeking natural and Ayurveda-backed propositions.
This is expected to boost the Ayurvedic mouthwash category in the country. Oil pulling is an ancient method of swishing oil in the mouth for a few minutes as an oral detox therapy. Thousands of years before the world discovered Listerine, Indians followed practices like Gandusha and Kavala Graha. So far, the mouthwash category is dominated by alcohol-based mouthwash products.
Its English name ‘Oil Pulling’ reflects the practice and desired outcome. Increased focus on hygiene and natural wellness due to COVID might have breathed new life into the practice. In July last year, Bollywood star Anushka Sharma mentioned oil-pulling as a daily ritual in an Instagram post.
Dabur India said it is foraying in the mouthwash category with the launch of Dabur Red Pulling Oil. This product is based on a process defined in Ayurvedic scriptures and serves as an oil-based oral detox regiment.
In a statement, Harkawal Singh, Marketing Head-Oral Care, Dabur India Ltd said: “Dabur Red Pulling Oil is an Ayurvedic Mouthwash which contains Natural Oils and Herbs with no alcohol. Backed by our 136-year heritage and knowledge of Ayurveda, Dabur has launched this breakthrough innovation to improve their overall oral health. Developed after extensive research, it is a known daily therapy for both oral and overall wellness of teeth and gums.”
Meanwhile, Colgate-Palmolive (India) said that it’s expanding its natural portfolio with the launch of Vedshakti Oil Pulling.