Miswak Guide for Smokers

1. Miswak Guide for Smokers Dr. Rami Mohammed Sami Diabi MD. Public Health Diploma of W.H.O. www.quitcliniconline.com Scientific Director

2. What is Miswak ? • A roots or brunches of Salvadora Persica plant ( Al-Araak) • Its usually sold in Pharmacies , Book shops and super markets , or in front of Mesjeds like in Saudi • Salvadora Persica plant

3. Why its used ? • Miswak is a common name for Salvadore persica ( tooth brush tree) popularly used in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world. Miswak is a stick made from the roots of the Arak tree. Miswak wicks clean between the teeth and do not break under any amount of pressure, rather they are flexible and strong. The small wicks bend to the appropriate shape to clear the plaque and left over food in between the teeth avoiding any damage to gums.

4. Miswak Importance in Islam

5. Miswak was the last advice of Prophet Mohammed PBUH before he leave life, this meant to me a great value of this Sunnah , thus I spent years on its research discovering many great secrets of health and facts, Dr Rami Diabi

6. Miswak Importance in health

11. Miswak Importance in Medicine • Ref: • MARDAT association. For Miswak Researches • Researches on Miswak in Saudi Dental Journal • Miswak TC • Miswak in WIkipedia

12. How to use Miswak: • The method of preparing a Miswaak for use is to cut a branch or root of the Arak tree into pieces between 10 cm and 20cm in length, and between 4mm and 14mm in diameter. Occasionally some are thicker than this. Fresh Miswaak is brown in color, with a hot, pleasant taste. People usually strip off some of the Miswaak's thin bark from one end, then chew that end a little to separate the fibers so that they become like the fibers of a normal toothbrush. They then use it to brush their teeth.

13. Timing of using Miswak • The Prophetic guidance:The Prophet Muhammad recommended Muslims to clean their teeth using a Miswaak every day; especially upon waking up, when performing ablution, before prayer, when reciting the Quran, before sleeping, when entering the house, and when the mouth has a foul odor

14. Length and diameter: A length of 15cm is recommended, which is convenient to grip, and easy to manipulate in a confined space. The diameter is normally less than 1 centimeter, which provides a supple stick firm enough to transmit the pressure of the cleansing action to the teeth without breaking.

15. Freshness: • Miswaak should be freshly cut so that it is supple, easily chewed, and still rich in active constituents. The root should be whitish-brown in color; a dark brown color indicates that the Miswaak is no longer fresh. • If a stick is dry, the end for chewing should initially be soaked in fresh water for 24 hours. It should be noted that soaking for unduly long periods causes loss of active constituents and diminishes the therapeutic properties, although the mechanical effects on the teeth can still occur. The end: Before Miswaak is used, the end should be washed with water. It is then chewed repeatedly until the fibers stand out like the bristles of a toothbrush. These fibers should be trimmed every 24 hours.

16. Brushing technique: • The techniques employed for removing plaque mechanically are similar to that for the toothbrush and the chewing stick; i.e., vertical and horizontal brushing. The cleaning movement should always be directed away from the gingival margin of the teeth (away from the gums) on both the buccal (outer cheek) and lingual (inner cheek) surfaces. Care should be taken to avoid damaging the soft tissues of the mouth. Satisfactory cleaning can be achieved if this procedure is followed for five minutes.There are two basic holds: Pen-grip (three-finger) or palm-grip (five finger-grip). In each case the aim is to ensure firm but controlled movement of the brush end of the Miswaak within the oral cavity, so that every area of the mouth is reached with relative ease and convenience.

17. Common mistakes in Miswaak use: • 1. The end is either too thin or too thick.2. Keeping it in the mouth while doing other things. 3. Not cutting the end every day. 4. Forgetting that teeth have five faces (inner, outer, two sides, and biting/chewing face), and only using Miswaak to clean the outer faces.

18. Scientific comparison between Miswaak and toothbrushes: A clinical trial study on Ethiopian schoolchildren, comparing Miswaak with the conventional toothbrush, found Miswaak to be as effective as the toothbrush in removing oral deposits. The study also found instruction and supervision to be important since the children in the sample were not familiar with techniques for using Miswaak.

19. Cytotoxicity: • Results of cytotoxictests showed no cytotoxic (cell damaging) effects from using freshly cut Miswaak. However, the same plant used 24 hours after cutting did contain harmful components. Based on these findings, researchers recommend cutting the used portion of the Miswaak after it has been used for a day and preparing a fresh part.

20. WHERE TO PUT ? ( ACCESSIBILITY)

21. Using Miswak to Quit Smoking

24. Video references : • Arabic Videos: • Miswak using guide - Miswakology introduction 1 • Miswak using guide - Miswakology -2- • You Don’t Need Toothbrush ( we are an old medical school) • English Videos: • Miswak Using Guide 1 ( kinds of Miswak) • Miswak Using Guide 2 ( Miswak 4 Oral Health ) • Ref: • Researches on Miswak as a quit tool: • QCO scientific documents web site