Toothbrush Stick, Miswak, Siwak, Peelu, Arak, Chewing Stick. Miswak has been recommended by world health organization for oral hygiene because of its availability, beneficial effect and affordability. The popularity of Miswak in Arab countries has meant that there have been several studies that have confirmed the ability of miswak to provide effective mechanical and chemical cleansing when used as an adjunct to other oral hygiene aids.
Benefits of Using the Natural Toothbrush
Antibacterial
Astringent Detergent
Anti-inflammatory
Abrasive qualities
Significantly plaque inhibiting
Enhances salivation
Fights caries
Provides nutrients for healthy bone and tooth development
How to Prepare your Toothbrush Stick or Miswak for Use
Choose a working end. Either peel the bark away 1-2cm all around the end of the stick with a knife, or gently chew the bark off the stick. You are not expected to swallow the bark! You will begin to taste the somewhat bitter, mouth freshening flavour. The flavour is quite strong, rather like freshly cut horseradish, so you can peel the bark off if you prefer. As you continue to use the toothbrush stick, the flavour intensity reduces!
Once the bark has been removed from the first 1-2cm of the toothbrush stick, begin to gently chew the stick and rub it over the surfaces of the teeth and soften it with the saliva. Rub the end of the stick over the surface of the teeth to remove biofilm, plaque and tartar. Already the teeth will begin to feel more clean and the breath will freshen.
If the taste is too strong, then you can stand your new stick in a glass containing an inch or so of water and some of the flavour and sap is leached into the water. The water has now become mouthwash and the stick is slightly softened, making it easier to work into the type of bristles you require.
After a few goes, the end of the stick begins to fray and a brush develops. The thick sticks take a bit longer to develop the brush at their working end and it might help to crush the working end with a clean hammer on a chopping board. Or slice some of the volume off along the length or the working end of the stick to reduce its diameter. However we think that working the stick in the mouth gives better quality bristles.
Using Miswak, Siwak, Peelu or Arak as a Toothbrush and Toothpaste
Wet the end of the toothbrush stick either in the mouth with saliva. This softens the fibres and dissolves beneficial juices from the stick. You can also wet the fibres with water or rose water. Rose water is also very beneficial for oral hygiene and it has been used in this country since the 12th century.
To clean the teeth, rub the toothbrush over the teeth. Use any motion, horizontally and vertically. Don’t do the gums yet! No need to scrub. You can also chew the end of the stick lightly, to release more juices and to help clean the biting surfaces. Go gently until the toothbrush has formed. It might take a few goes to form a really handy toothbrush. The main idea is to encourage the release and distribution of precious juices from this plant and to nurture the bristles for the next step.
Now comes the most important part. Once the bristle are soft and sappy, take the bristles horizontally along the gum line. This sterilizises the gum line and massively improves the health of gums.
Make sure to clean the whole of the mouth cavity including the inside of the teeth, go right behind the back molars, do the cheeks, the palette, the tongue and under the tongue or at least to swish the mouth around with the juices created by brushing to reach the tissues in the mouth.
Treat every tooth and its corresponding part of gum as an individual. You will find the different parts have different needs!
Consider using interdental brushes (ask you dentist about them if you have not heard of them), then handspun silk floss and then the toothbrush stick for oral hygiene.
Brush the teeth on rising and going to bed, after meals or if the taste in the mouth changes.
After use rinse the miswak and keep it in a clean place. Replace it in the packet or keep it somewhere clean, ready for the next brushing. It helps to keep these sticks somewhat damp, so the bristles soften more quickly and the sap is released more easily.
Using the Toothbrush Stick to Create Mouthwash
The toothbrush stick can also be used to create a mouthwash. Using a natural mouthwash assures that ever part of the oral cavity is cleaned and freshened. The liquid mouthwash will reach the gum line, the tooth surfaces and in gaps between the teeth, the tongue, the pallet and the cheeks, even the throat if you choose to gargle with it. We do not advocate the use of very strong chemical mouthwashes which are designed to kill more or less everything, because the mouth and even individual teeth and areas of gum line should contain some levels of protective bacteria. We know that the toothbrush stick selectively kill the bacteria which cause gingivitis and dental caries, but not absolutely everything.
You need some of these ‘friendly’ bacteria to protect the teeth from the really nasty bacteria. Likewise, when chemical mouthwashes are used, the may destroy the friendly bacteria in the stomach. So using miswak does not effect the healthy flora in the mouth and stomach which we need for good health.
Fluoridated tooth paste and manual tooth brushes have been the standard of clinical preventive dental care for over 50 years.However, the objection to the use of fluorides by some parents has meant that these pastes are not universally accepted.
There are several non-fluoridated pastes available in the market that include the extract of miswak. There are few studies that have compared these pastes to fluoridated pastes and to miswak as a stand alone agents.
Miswak has been recommended by world health organization in 1987 for oral hygiene because of its availability, beneficial effect and affordability.
It has been stated that "Several clinical studies have confirmed that the mechanical and chemical cleansing efficiency of miswak chewing sticks are equal and at times greater than that of the toothbrush" this was mentioned and reviewed that it is in fact right but only when used in a regular constant matter with a proper and effective way of plaque removal. This study aims to use a cross over model to study the effectiveness of miswak as a stand alone agent in maintaining oral hygiene in young adults and compare it miswak containing toothpastes and fluoridated toothpastes when used with a manual tooth brush.
Caring for your Toothbrush Stick
As you continue using the miswak, the brushes will lengthen and less juices will be released. Also long fibres which have been rubbed on the teeth may break. So keep the head trimmed so that the texture and strength of the bristles are right for your style of use. There is no need to buy a special miswak cutter. A pair of scissors, a knife or secateurs will be fine.
Trim the bristles at least once a day and rinse the toothbrush stick at least once a day. I replace my stick in the packaging so that it remains soft and ready to use. I start every day with a firm head (achieved after trimming the bristles) and then work the stick in the mouth until the bristles have formed, then do my gum treatment. It is ideal, if you can do a mouth wash with the sap and saliva which has been generated in the mouth and this way every surface in the mouth will be clean and fresh.
Gradually the toothbrush stick will get shorter, serving you very well in the meantime. I dispose of my toothbrush stick once I am down to the last few inches. Time to nurture a new one!
The Taste and Aroma of Miswak
The miswak sticks have a very strong flavour, of horseradish or mustard, and the sappier they are, the stronger the flavour. The aroma is strong too!
You can reduce the impact of the flavour and aroma in a few ways:
- Let the stick dry out a bit
- Wash the stick in water
- Peel the outside bark off for a few centimetres near the working end.
