Tips for Using Your Miswak Stick

With modern toothbrushes and toothpastes available, it’s perhaps no surprise that many Muslims rarely use a miswak stick. However, this traditional tool for dental hygiene is still an effective way of keeping your mouth and your teeth clean.

So, let’s say that you’re thinking about giving the miswak stick a try. How do you actually use it?

There are a few tips that you need to keep in mind when using a miswak stick to brush your teeth. We’re going to share a few of them here.

Tip #1 – Chewing off the Bark

When you get a fresh miswak stick, you may wonder how on Earth you’re supposed to use it. But the fact is that it’s not quite ready to use as soon as you take it out of the packet.

You need to get your teeth involved to get it ready.

Hold the stick at one end and chew at the other. Your goal is to chew off about an inch of bark. This will expose the wood underneath the bark that you’ll actually use while brushing.

Discard of the bark once you’ve chewed it off and your miswak stick is almost ready for you to use.

Tip #2 - …Keep Chewing

Once you've gotten rid of the bark, you’re going to need to keep chewing on the softer wood that’s underneath.

The goal here is to soften the wood. You’re not trying to chew it straight off the stick. Instead, you’re looking for it to start splitting into thinner fibres. It’ll probably take a minute or two, but you’ll be left with something that’s starting to resemble the regular toothbrush that you’re used to. These fibres form a brush of their own, which you’re going to use to scrub your teeth.

Tip #3 – No Toothpaste Needed

If you want to use your toothpaste in the traditional way, you’re going to have to forego the toothpaste.

Instead, you just need to use a little water to prepare the stick for brushing. Dip the brush end into a bowl of water a couple of times and it’s ready to go. Many people use rosewater for this, as it makes the stick more pleasant to brush with. The rosewater will also leave behind a fresher fragrance after use.

Tip #4 – Repeat the Process Every Few Days

The brush that you’ve exposed won’t last forever. In fact, it will start to wear away after three or four days of use.

When this happens, simply cut the exposed wood off from the stick.

From there, you simply repeat the routine of chewing the bark off and softening the wood. You should find that you’re able to get several weeks of use out of your miswak stick before you need to get a new one.

The Final Word

Now that you know how to use a miswak stick, all that’s left is to get your hands on one.

That’s where Islamic Impressions can help you. We offer a variety of miswak sticks, including some that we have on offer right now. Check them out if you’re ready to experience this traditional way of cleaning your teeth.