Efficacy of Miswak When Compared to Fluoridated Toothpaste for the Maintenance of Oral Hygiene in Young Adults

Detailed Summary

Miswak has been recommended by world health organization for oral hygiene because of its availability, beneficial effect and affordability. The popularity of Miswak in Arab countries has meant that there have been several studies that have confirmed the ability of miswak to provide effective mechanical and chemical cleansing when used as an adjunct to other oral hygiene aids. Fluoridated tooth paste and manual tooth brushes have been the standard of clinical preventive dental care for over 50 years.However, the objection to the use of fluorides by some parents has meant that these pastes are not universally accepted. There are several non-fluoridated pastes available in the market that include the extract of miswak. There are few studies that have compared these pastes to fluoridated pastes and to miswak as a stand alone agents. Miswak has been recommended by world health organization in 1987 for oral hygiene because of its availability, beneficial effect and affordability. It has been stated that "Several clinical studies have confirmed that the mechanical and chemical cleansing efficiency of miswak chewing sticks are equal and at times greater than that of the toothbrush" this was mentioned and reviewed that it is in fact right but only when used in a regular constant matter with a proper and effective way of plaque removal. This study aims to use a cross over model to study the effectiveness of miswak as a stand alone agent in maintaining oral hygiene in young adults and compare it miswak containing toothpastes and fluoridated toothpastes when used with a manual tooth brush.

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