Miswaak: The natural toothbrush

The Miswaak was known before Islam, but Islam added a religious
perspective to its usage.
The Prophetic guidance:
The Prophet Muhammad recommended Muslims to clean their teeth using a
Miswaak every day; especially upon waking up, when performing
ablution, before prayer, when reciting the Quran, before sleeping,
when entering the house, and when the mouth has a foul odor.
There are many Prophetic narrations thattalk about Miswaak. Following
are some of them:
'Aa'ishah related that the Prophet said: "Ten things are part of one's
natural disposition: Trimming the moustache,growing a beard, (using)
the Miswaak, sniffing water, cutting the nails, washing hands,
plucking armpits, shaving pubic hair, and conserving water." [Muslim]
Furthermore, he highlighted its importance, saying: "If it were not
that it would create hardship for my people, I would have ordered them
to use the Miswaak with every ablution and with every prayer."
[Al-Bukhaari]
Medical discoveries:
The Miswaak is a natural tool for brushing the teeth. It is taken from
theroots and branches of particular desert trees. It differs from one
region to another, but in Arabia and Asia it is taken from the Arak
tree. This is the most famous variety, and is the kind that was used
by the Prophet .
Its scientific name is Salvadora Persica. It is a tree that grows in
hot equatorial countries, especially in desert valleys. It is
widespread in the South of Saudi Arabia , Yemen , Sudan , Egypt , and
elsewhere.
Salvador Persica is an upright evergreen small tree or shrub, seldom
more than one foot in diameter, reaching a maximum height of
threemeters. The leaves are small, oval, thick and succulent with a
strong smell of cress or mustard.
The Miswaak is also obtained from other trees. In Africa, for example,
it is cut from Lime and Orange trees, and in America some are cut from
the Senna tree.
As the Arak tree is so well-known, and as it was the kind that the
Prophet used, it has been scientifically studied. The following
summarize the various discoveries regarding Miswaak.
Health effects of Miswaak :
Physically, the Miswaak isa natural toothbrush. It iscomposed of a
compact group of minute natural fibers that perform exactly the same
functionas a normal toothbrush except that it is made of natural
rather than plastic fibers. For this reason it may be more gentle on
the gums.
Miswaak's natural toothpaste is made up of many substances that
areimportant for cleaning teeth. Many researchers have studied the
Miswaak in depth, and have proven that Miswaak contains over ten
different natural chemical compounds considered essential for good
oral and dental hygiene.
They are: fluoride, silica, tannic acid, resins, alkaloids
(salvadorine), volatile oils (sinigrin), sulfur vitamin C, sodium
bicarbonate, chlorides, calcium, benzylisothiocyanate (BIT), and
others including salicylic acids, sterols, trimethylamine, saponins,
flavenoids.
Some of these components are stain removers and teeth whiteners, some
protect teeth against caries, some are bactericidal and antiseptic,
some helpin healing and to repair tissues, some promote
remineralization (building) of tooth enamel, and some give the
pleasant taste and smell.
Cytotoxicity:
Results of cytotoxictests showed no cytotoxic (celldamaging) effects
from using freshly cut Miswaak. However, the same plant used 24
hoursafter cutting did contain harmful components. Based on these
findings, researchers recommend cutting the used portion of the
Miswaak after it has been used for a day and preparing a fresh part.
Scientific comparison between Miswaak and toothbrushes:
A clinical trial study on Ethiopian schoolchildren,comparing Miswaak
withthe conventional toothbrush, found Miswaak to be as effective as
the toothbrush in removing oral deposits. The study also found
instruction and supervision to be important since the children in the
sample were not familiar with techniques for using Miswaak.
How to use Miswaak:
The method of preparinga Miswaak for use is to cut a branch or root of
the Arak tree into pieces between 10 cm and 20cmin length, and between
4mm and 14mm in diameter. Occasionally some are thicker than this.
Fresh Miswaak is brown in color, with a hot, pleasant taste. People
usually strip off some of the Miswaak's thin bark from one end, then
chewthat end a little to separate the fibers so that they become like
thefibers of a normal toothbrush. They then use it to brush their
teeth.
Length and diameter:
A length of 15cm is recommended, which is convenient to grip, and easy
to manipulate in a confined space. The diameter is normally less than
1 centimeter, which provides a supple stick firm enough to transmit
the pressure of the cleansing action to the teeth without breaking.
Freshness: Miswaak should be freshly cut so that it is supple, easily
chewed, and still rich in active constituents. The root should be
whitish-brown in color; a dark brown color indicates that the Miswaak
is no longer fresh.
If a stick is dry, the end for chewing should initially be soaked in
fresh water for 24 hours. It should be noted that soaking for unduly
long periods causes loss of active constituents and diminishes the
therapeutic properties, although the mechanical effects on the teeth
can still occur.
The end: Before Miswaak is used, the end should be washed with water.
It is then chewed repeatedly until the fibers stand out like the
bristles of a toothbrush. These fibers should be trimmed every 24
hours.
Brushing technique:
The techniques employedfor removing plaque mechanically are similar to
that for the toothbrush and the chewing stick; i.e., vertical and
horizontal brushing. The cleaning movement should alwaysbe directed
away from the gingival margin of the teeth (away from the gums) on
both the buccal(outer cheek) and lingual(inner cheek) surfaces.
Care should be taken to avoid damaging the soft tissues of the mouth.
Satisfactory cleaning can be achieved if this procedure is followed
forfive minutes.
There are two basic holds: Pen-grip (three-finger) or palm-grip (five
finger-grip). In each case the aim is to ensure firm but controlled
movementof the brush end of the Miswaak within the oral cavity, so
that every area of the mouth is reached with relative ease and
convenience.
When to use Miswaak:
In general, the Miswaak should be used a minimum of five times a day
(i.e. before each prayer). However it is recommended to use it all the
time, whenever possible.
Common mistakes in Miswaak use:
1. The end is either too thin or too thick.
2. Keeping it in the mouth while doing otherthings.
3. Not cutting the end every day.
4. Forgetting that teeth have five faces (inner, outer, two sides, and
biting/chewing face), and only using Miswaak to clean the outer faces.


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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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