© 2016. Al Ameen Charitable Fund Trust, Bangalore 215 Al Ameen J Med Sci 2016; 9(4):215-218  US National Library of Medicine enlisted journal  ISSN 0974-1143 MINI REVIEW ARTICLE CODEN: AAJMBG Effects of Miswak - Salvadora Persica on Oral Health Ahtesham Ahmed Qureshi 1* , Aijaz Ahmad Qureshi 2 , Amol Dohipoide 1 and Nilofar Nawab Jamadar 1 1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Maharashtra Institute of Dental Sciences & Research (MIDSR), Ambajogai Road, Latur-413531, Maharashtra, India and 2 Research Scientist and Biologist, Islamic University, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India Abstract: For centuries to improve dental health and to promote oral hygiene plants and plant products in various forms have been used 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 article discusses the history and chemical composition of Salvadora persica miswak and its influence on oral health, including the advantages and disadvantages of its use. Keywords: Antimicrobial agent, Tooth brushing, oral hygiene, miswak, Salvadora persica Introduction Good oral health has a major influence on one’s general quality of life and well-being. With the increasing incidence of oral diseases, the global need for alternative prevention and treatment methods and safe, effective, and economical products has expanded. The use of a tooth brush in combination with dentifrices is one of the most common methods of cleaning teeth. The evolution of the modern toothbrush may be traced to chewing sticks that were used by Babylonians as early as 3500 BC, and to toothpicks that were chewed onto help clean the teeth and mouth and were discussed in ancient Greek and Roman literatures [1]. Chewing sticks are pre- pared from a variety of plant species and are customarily used for cleaning teeth in Asia, Africa, South America, and the Middle East [2]. Western travelers and explorers described the use of chewing sticks by men and women in the Sahara region and Sudan [3]. The inhabitants of these regions would clean their teeth diligently whenever they had a chance to sit down for social gatherings. Chewing sticks are known by different names in different cultures: ‘‘arak’’ or ‘‘miswak’’ in Arabic, ‘‘koyoji’’ in Japanese, ‘‘qesam’’ in Hebrew, and ‘‘mastic’’ in Latin [3]. The availability, low cost, simplicity, and religious and/or traditional associations of chewing sticks have made them popular through modern times. Chewing sticks may play a role in the promotion of oral hygiene, and further evaluation of their effectiveness is warranted, as stated in the 2000 World Health Organization (WHO) Consensus Report on Oral Hygiene [4]. ‘‘Miswak’’ (synonyms in different Arabic dialects and countries include ‘‘miswaak,’’ ‘‘misswak,’’ ‘‘miswaki,’’ ‘‘meswak,’’ ‘‘mswaki,’’ ‘‘sewak,’’ ‘‘siwak,’’ and ‘‘siwaki’’) is an Arabic word meaning tooth-cleaning stick [5]. The spread of Islamic culture had a significant influence on the propagation and use of miswaks, which was a pre-Islamic practice, in different parts of the world [3]. Among at least 182 plant species suitable for preparing tooth brushing sticks, miswak harvested from Salvadora persica, are used most extensively [6]. The roots, twigs, and stems of this plant have been used for oral hygiene [2] and small S. persica sticks have been used as toothpicks [7]. S. persica has a wide geographic distribution ranging from Rajasthan (India), Nepal, and Malaysia in the east through Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to Mauritania in the west, and from North Africa through Sudan, Ethiopia, and Central Africa to