Miswak has been used for oral health since ancient times, albeit spontaneously. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) highly valued miswak and narrated encouraged people to use on a regular basis. For example, he said about miswak: “If it were not difficult for my ummah, I would order them to clean their teeth with miswak every time they perform ablution.” “Then Jabrâil (peace be upon him) told me so much about miswâk that I was afraid that it would be obligatory for my ummah.” “Miswak purifies the mouth and pleases our Lord.”
Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to use miswak before every prayer, before and after every meal and every time he got up during nights, and even at the last moment of his life, his eyes were fixed on the miswak. Our mother Aisha brushed his blessed teeth and after that he passed away.
Prayer after miswak is superior to prayer without miswak. Yes, miswak is truly a blessing. Miswak is the root of the arak tree that grows in the Arab world. It is cut to about the length of a pencil, and when rubbed on the tooth, the tip takes the shape of an ordinary brush and can move to any side of the tooth. The regular use of it is very useful not only for the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach and gums, but also for the eyes.
Imam Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The use of miswak strengthens memory and removes phlegm.” Miswak contains substances that disinfect the mouth, brighten teeth and dissolve dental plaque. Being rich in fluoride, it hardens teeth, prevents decay and cleans tooth stains. Its saponins have expectorant and anti-inflammatory effects, and the rich calcium content restores the structure of bone tissue. It contains a large amount of phosphorus, which is essential for our brain, and magnesium, which is indispensable for the functioning of the muscular system. Lack of magnesium in the body also causes problems in the absorption of calcium. Potassium helps to nourish cells, provides the proper functioning of the heart muscle and memory, and neutralizes the additional effects of salt. Even the sulfur-dioxide found in miswak is an invaluable blessing for the healing of all oral wounds. The volatile ethers in miswak remove bad breath and make the mouth smell good and kill mouth fungus. The ingredients in miswak kill all the bacteria that affect the taste of the mouth and improve the taste. In addition, it normalizes the acidity of the mouth, and thus it is a total source of healing.