Who hasn`t heard miswak? Nature`s route of dental health, using  miswak or chewing sticks was once a regular practice, but those are the days gone by.

Chewing sticks were used by the Babylonians some 7000 years ago and by other civilisations in the ancient times. In the Arab world, this was a popular tool to fight common dental ailments.Nowadays, one of the very few places where one can find someone selling chewing sticks is perhaps outside a mosque or at a herbal store.  Today, people from all over the world look for various trees that are naturally blessed with anti-bacterial power to make chewing sticks. In the subcontinent, the neem tree is mainly used for this purpose.

A chewing stick is a pencil-sized stick of a tree that is chewed at one end until it becomes fringed to give it a brush-like look. The brush end is used for cleaning the teeth in the same manner as a plastic tooth brush. These sticks contain certain elements that are extremely helpful in fighting dental carries and plaque - apparently common problems but which can later lead to ailments like gingivitis and bleeding of gums.

In Pakistan, the practice of chewing sticks has taken a backseat. According to Dr Ansar Khan, a dental surgeon with 40 years of practicing experience, people have never really understood the medicinal benefits that neem sticks can contribute to dental health. Also, most people are unaware that chewing sticks not only help oral hygiene but also the digestive tract. The doctor adds that children should be educated about the advantages of using chewing sticks from the very beginning and to encourage regular use.

“In my 40 years of practice, I have observed that teeth cleaned daily with miswak are far less decayed, less stained, more healthy and in much better shape than those cleaned with plastic brushes ,” says the dental surgeon.

Old-fashioned they may be, but even chewing sticks require a specific cleaning technique similar to a tooth brush. Like a tooth brush, improper strokes of the stick can injure gums. When brushing with chewing sticks, one should follow vertical or circular strokes, and avoid brushing teeth horizontally. In fact, it is best to consult a dental practitioner regarding the correct technique of brushing, and this goes for both the tooth brush and chewing sticks.

One word of caution, though Chewing sticks need to be clipped every 24 hours in order to guarantee freshness of the brush. Also, one should use fresh sticks only as dried ones can injure gums and there is always a chance that dried or stale sticks may not contain anti-bacterial agents.

Chewing sticks are nature`s gift against dental disease and by adopting their usage, one can look forward to healthy teeth and gums.

Research has proved that proper use of chewing sticks not only helps in keeping our teeth healthy but other parts of the body as well.

Pharmacological properties of chewing sticks

1. Have antibacterial property

2. Contain antimycotic and hypoglycemic activity

3. Significantly provide calcium and chloride to the teeth

4. Decrease superficial pain caused due to dental hypersensitivity.

5. Have anti-inflammatory property

6. Have astringent and detergent properties

Therapeutic purposes of chewing sticks

1. Clean both the teeth and the tongue (and helps reduce bad breath)

2. Treat toothache

3. Exercise jaws

4. Help in preventing smoking in adults and thumb sucking in children.

5. May improve appetite and regulate the digestive system.

—S.O.A