Yep, the bromine stench. I've never had that, but Hubby has it reliably when he's going through a detox episode. We use organic unrefined sesame oil, but I've seen coconut oil mentioned, maybe a nice olive oil, depending on what appeals to your taste buds. I'm sure the Oil Pulling forum would have other ideas if you needed them. We generally aim for 20 min, but I remember Trapper saying it's best to swish until the oil thins, and that's how you know you're done. :)