What is miswak?
A miswak is a natural tooth-cleaning stick cut from the Salvadora persica shrub. You chew one end until it opens into soft bristles, then brush with them. Siwak, sewak, peelu and arak are other names for the same stick.
The plant
Salvadora persica is an evergreen shrub that grows in dry, hot regions, from East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula across to Pakistan and India. Its thin branches and roots are cut into sticks. In English it is sometimes called the toothbrush tree.
One stick, many names
| Miswak | The most common name in English and Urdu, from Arabic |
|---|---|
| Siwak | Arabic for the stick, and for the act of using it |
| Sewak | Another spelling of siwak |
| Arak | The Arabic name for the shrub itself |
| Peelu or pilu | The name used in Pakistan and India, and what our suppliers in Karachi call it |
A long history
People have cleaned their teeth with chewing sticks for a very long time, and the miswak is one of the best known. It is part of daily life in many Muslim homes, where using it is a Sunnah practice. You can read more on our page about miswak and Ramadan.
What a fresh stick is like
A fresh stick bends a little instead of snapping. Scratch the bark and you'll smell something woody and slightly peppery. When you chew the tip, the fibres soften and spread into a brush within a minute or so.
Old stock is easy to spot once you know what to look for. It smells flat or musty, and the fibres stay hard or split into splinters instead of softening.
Not every stick sold as miswak is peelu
Some sticks sold as miswak are cut from other trees, such as olive or walnut. We only sell Salvadora persica, bought in person in Karachi. Here's how we choose our stock.
Questions
What is a miswak?
A miswak is a natural tooth-cleaning stick cut from the Salvadora persica shrub. You peel back the bark at one end and chew it gently until the fibres open into soft bristles, then brush with those bristles. People across the Middle East, South Asia and Africa have used it for centuries.
Is miswak the same as siwak, sewak, peelu or arak?
They are names for the same thing. Siwak is the Arabic word, sewak and miswak are common spellings, arak is the Arabic name for the shrub, and peelu (or pilu) is what it is called in Pakistan and India. Ours is Salvadora persica, sold in Karachi as peelu.
How do I use a miswak for the first time?
Open the pack and peel or cut away about 1 cm of bark from one end. Chew that end gently until the fibres separate into a soft brush. Brush along your teeth, front and back, then rinse the stick in clean water. The full guide is on our How to use page.
How should I store it?
Keep unopened sticks sealed in a cool, dry place. Once a stick is open, rinse it after use and let it air dry in a cup or holder. Don't close a wet stick into an airtight box.