The role of miswak (Salvadora persica) contents in reducing plaque index

Peranan kandungan siwak (Salvadora persica) dalam menurunkan indeks plak

Abstract

Plaque is the main cause of dental caries and periodontal disease. The use of safe, effective and economical products as plaque control has grown rapidly; both chemical and mechanical means are used to achieve good oral hygiene. One of them is the use of miswak, which has become very popular in the Muslim world. Miswak is widely recognized as a chewing stick or natural toothbrush and plays an important role for oral hygiene. Miswak contains certain natural chemical compounds that play an im-portant role in maintaining good oral hygiene. This article discusses the role of miswak (Salvadora persica) content in reducing plaque index. This literature review is carried out by collecting information that is in accordance with the topic of study and then synthesizing scientific information. Overall, 15 articles showed that the content of miswak reduces the plaque index due to the mechanical effect of the fibers of the miswak rod and also due to the ability of miswak to release useful active com-pounds. It was concluded that miswak is effective as an antiplaque agent to maintain oral health, and prevent oral diseases.