8 - Kuwait Oil Company

MiswakNature’s Tooth BrushFor most countries outside ofthe Muslim world, the “Miswak”is probably a very foreign thing.However, the majority of peoplefrom Muslim countries know itas the beloved twig from the Araktree that many use daily to brushtheir teeth.Perhaps you might be asking whyanyone would think of using a treetwig to clean their teeth. To put itsimply, ancient man did not havethe luxury of today’s toothbrushes,so many cultures have used theMiswak for oral hygiene. The useof the Miswak is well spread acrossthe Muslim population of the world,and the Miswak finds it origins inthe Middle East, where it has beenderived from the Salvadora persicatree (Arak tree in Arabic).The reason for its common use byMuslims can be attributed to religiousbeliefs. The Prophet Mohammed(PBUH) used it frequently andalso instructed his followers to dothe same, which accounts for itswide use and popularity today. Furthermore,Islamic Literature attributesat least 70 benefits to Miswak.Although it might sound outdatedto use twigs from trees for cleaningyour teeth, medical studiesconducted on the Miswak proveotherwise. Many of these scientificinquiries have shown that Miswak isbetter than toothpaste for preventinggum disease. Let’s take a look at this“wonder twig” and examine someof the studies conducted on it thatdocument its proven health benefits.A few important benefits ofMiswak:• Kills bacteria that causes gumdisease• Fights plaque• Eliminates bad breath and odorfrom the mouth• Effectively cleans between theteeth due to its fine bristles• Increases salivation, therefore inhibitingdry mouth (Xerostomia)Scientific Studies on MiswakThe Wrigley Company conducted astudy on Miswak which was publishedin the Journal of Agriculturaland Food Chemistry. The studyfound that mints laced with Miswakextract were 20 times more effectivein killing bacteria than ordinarymints. A small testimony to this factis that after half an hour, the mintslaced with Miswak extract killedabout 60% of the bacteria, whereasthe ordinary mints managed to eliminateonly 3.6%.In the August 2008 issue of Journalof Periodontology, a study waspublished by Swedish researchers onMiswak. The study apparently foundthat suspended Miswak pieces in apetri dish (medium for culturing bacteria)were able to kill bacteria thatcause periodontal disease withoutbeing in physical contact with thebacteria. The researchers suggestedthat Miswak may produceantibiotic gases as an explanationfor this phenomenon.A study which compares brushingyour teeth with a toothbrushand using Miswak can be foundon PubMed (U.S National Libraryfor Medicine Service). Thestudy concluded that Miswakwas more effective in reducingplaque and gingivitis than brushingyour teeth with a toothbrushprovided it was used correctly.Meanwhile, a study conductedby a group of dentists at KingSaud University concluded that usingMiswak was at least as good asbrushing your teeth with a toothbrush,if not better.In Islam, Miswak is recommendedto be used before prayer, beforeentering one’s house, before andafter setting out on a journey, beforesleeping and after waking up, whenexperiencing hunger or thirst andbefore entering any public gathering.Widely-believed but scientificallyuntested attributes of Miswak includeits alleged ability to sharpen one’smemory, cure headaches, strengtheneyesight, assist digestion and clearthe voice.How to use Miswak:1. Scrape off about 1.5 cm of thebark from either tip2. Wash the Miswak and chew its tipto make it brush-like3. Brush teeth accordingly4. When the bristles are worn andthe flavor has subsided, cut them offand repeat48 April-June 2012