Medicinal benefits of siwaak in the Sunnah

Encouragement to use the siwaak as part of the Sunnah is
mentioned in many hadeeths, and the effect of using the siwaak is described
as purifying the mouth, cleansing it of dirt, making it smell good, and
preventing disease. It is a general word which affirms that siwaak possesses
all powers of purification and protection. 

Dr. ‘Abd-Allaah ‘Abd al-Razzaaq al-Sa’eed says: 

It is indeed a miracle of the trustworthy and unlettered
Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who said: it was
narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Siwaak is purifying for
the mouth and pleasing to the Lord.” Narrated by al-Nasaa’i (hadeeth no. 5).
Al-Bukhaari narrated it as a mu’allaq majzoom report in Kitaab al-Sawm,
Bab Siwaak al-Ratab wa’l-Yaabis li’l-Saa’im. It was classed as saheeh
by al-Mundhiri in al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb (1/133) and classed as
hasan by al-Nawawi in al-Majmoo’ (1/267). In an addition mentioned in
al-Mu’jam al-Awsat by al-Tabaraani (7/278) it says “and clearing to
the eyesight”, but this is very weak. See al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah by
al-Albaani (no. 5276). 

How can the siwaak not be purifying to the mouth when the
unlettered Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not speak
on the basis of his own whims and desires, who was taught (the Qur’aan) by
one mighty in power [Jibreel (Gabriel)] (cf. al-Najm 53:5), enjoined us to
use the siwaak, thus giving us basic guidelines to protect our teeth and
mouths from disease by cleaning them, which is what preventive dentistry
tells us now. As it is said, prevention is better than cure because it gives
us a life that is filled with happiness. 

All the means that may be followed to keep the mouth and
teeth clean are very valuable in preventive medicine. One of these means is
the stick from the araak tree, which is mentioned in many hadeeths from the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). This stick is called
siwaak. 

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Sa’eed al-Jareedli – head of the Mouth
Disease department at Cairo University – said: 

The siwaak is many times better than the toothbrush and
toothpaste in chemical and mechanical terms.

After carrying out research he found that the substance which
is in the siwaak kills germs and heals our mouths from disease. By itself it
can take the place of the toothbrush and toothpaste because of the numerous
substances it contains which are superior to those contained in toothpaste.
Similarly, strong, gentle natural fibres work better than the fibres of the
toothbrush and do not damage the gums. They also effectively remove what is
left in our mouths and clings to our teeth of leftover food, which can cause
disease and damage to the mouth and teeth. Up until today, in our civilised
world, there is no toothpaste that contains the substances contained in the
siwaak. Similarly, it says in the weekly magazine American Dentist that most
of the toothpastes used in the United States of America are not good or
healthy. 

For example, we see that most of the toothpastes on the
market are commercial and cheap, aimed at nothing other than making a
profit, and the mouth and gums do not benefit from them at all. But in the
case of siwaak, it was found — after scientific research — that it
contains a lot of effective substances carried in its fibres, including
cleansers such as sinigrin, astringents which strengthen the gums, such as
gallic acid, volatile oils which give the mouth a good smell, sodium
chloride, sodium bicarbonate, potassium chloride, calcium oxalate and a
number of substances which clean the teeth. Some substances in the siwaak
also kill germs, so it has an effect similar to that of penicillin. 

So the siwaak is indeed the purifier for the mouth and teeth.
Blessings and peace of Allah be upon you, O Beloved of Allah, O intercessor
for creation, O Trustworthy Messenger, until the Day of Judgement; you
brought us the Qur’aan from the Lord of the worlds, the most wise of judges,
and you spoke the truth when you said: “Siwaak is purifying for the mouth
and pleasing to the Lord.” End quote. 

Al-Siwaak wa’l-‘Inaayah bi’l-Asnaan
(p. 9-14) 

In the research of Dr. James Turner, of the Faculty of
Medicine in the American University of Tennessee, which is published in the
journal Oral Medicine and Dentistry, it says: The miswaak of the araak tree
contains substances which purify and kill microbes, the most important of
which are sulphur and sitosterol B (or
β-sitosterol), as well as
sodium.  

Research and experiments indicate that the siwaak contains a
substance which stops bleeding, purifies the gums and sterilises wounds in
the gums. It also contains in its fibres large amounts of mineral salts and
ions such as calcium, iron, phosphates and sodium. 

Siwaak contains vitamin C, and it is well known to scientists
that the interaction between this vitamin and antibiotics is regarded as one
of the most effective of remedies. It also contains tannin which helps to
strengthen the gums.  

See also the answer to question number
2577. 

And Allah knows best.