Back to search

What is the correct way to use a miswak stick for cleaning teeth and gums? Should it be moistened with water, and should one rinse their mouth afterwards? And how can food debris be removed from between the teeth without using a toothbrush or dental floss?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The Sunnah is to use a wet siwak stick from the arak tree, or from any tree that is not harmful. It can be moistened if it is dry, because this promotes cleanliness and reduces harm to the mouth. It is used to clean the teeth, tongue, and gums. Using a toothbrush and toothpaste does not suffice for the siwak, although it is permissible to use them to clean food debris.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

Read the full answer on Ftawy