Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2012 Apr;24(2):63-9.
doi: 10.1016/j.sdentj.2011.12.004. Epub 2012 Jan 28.

A review on miswak (Salvadora persica) and its effect on various aspects of oral health

Hassan Suliman Halawany  1
Affiliations

A review on miswak (Salvadora persica) and its effect on various aspects of oral health

Hassan Suliman Halawany. Saudi Dent J. 2012 Apr.

Abstract

Plants have been used for centuries to improve dental health and to promote oral hygiene, and this practice persists in several communities throughout the world. "Miswak" is an Arabic word meaning "tooth-cleaning stick," and Salvadora persica miswak has a wide geographic distribution. It was used by ancient Arabs to whiten and polish the teeth. This review discusses the history and chemical composition of S. persica miswak and its influence on oral health, including the advantages and disadvantages of its use.

Keywords: Antimicrobial agent; Aqueous extract; Dental caries; Salvadora persica; Toothbrushing.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Abdel-Wahab S., Selim M., El-Fiki N. Investigation of the flavonoid content of Salvadora persica L. Bull. Fac. Pharm. Cairo Univ. 1990;28:67–70.
    1. Abo Al-Samh D. King Saud University; Riyadh: 1995. In vitro study of the antimicrobial activity and toxicity of the miswak extract as an endodontic irrigation solution.
    1. Akhtar J., Siddique K., Bi S., Mujeeb M. A review on phytochemical and pharmacological investigations of miswak (Salvadora persica Linn) J. Pharm. BioAllied Sci. 2011;3(1):113–117. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Akhtar M., Ajmal M. Significance of chewing sticks (miswaks) in oral hygiene from a pharmacological viewpoint. J. Pak. Med. Assoc. 1981;31:89–95. - PubMed
    1. Akpata E., Akinrimisi E. Antibacterial activity of extracts from some African chewing sticks. Oral Surg. Oral Med. Oral Pathol. 1977;44(5):717–722. - PubMed