A comparative study to assess the acceptability of the miswak chewing stick amongst Iranian adolescents

Abstract

A comparative study to compare the acceptability of the miswak chewing stick with a conventional toothbrush in a population of Iranian adolescents.Fifty-one 11–12 year old male and female pupils with irregular oral hygiene habits attending a government school in Mashad, Iran, made up the study population. The aims of the study were to determine firstly, their stated reasons for irregular use of the toothbrush, secondly, the uptake and acceptability of the miswak chewing stick and the toothbrush by this group and thirdly, the effectiveness of regular use of the miswak and the toothbrush in removing plaque. The study was conducted over four weeks with measurements taken at baseline, two-week intervals and at the end of four weeks. The data was collected using questionnaires and clinical examination of plaque, which was measured using the Tooth Cleanliness Index (TCI) (Blinkhorn and Mackie 1992).The results showed that the main reason stated for irregular oral hygiene maintenance was forgetfulness. A total of 22 pupils (44%) preferred the toothbrush and 24 pupils (48%) preferred the miswak. Of those who preferred the toothbrush, the majority were females and more males preferred the miswak. The main reason for preferring the miswak over the toothbrush was that it is easier to use and the main reason for preferring the toothbrush was the bad smell or taste of the miswak. The results showed a significant improvement in the plaque levels of this population between baseline, day 14 and day 28. A trend was observed for the mean TCI score, which increased when the pupils changed the brushing tool from the miswak to the toothbrush after two weeks.The main finding from this study is that the miswak can be used as an alternative to the toothbrush.