Journal of - International Society for the History of Islamic Medicine
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Journal of - International Society for the History of Islamic Medicine

Journal of - International Society for the History of Islamic Medicine Journal of - International Society for the History of Islamic Medicine

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The Developments on the Use of Misvaque in the Turkish History of Dentistry Ayşegül DEMIRHAN ERDEMIR Prof. Dr. Uludağ University Medical Faculty Deontology Department, Bursa/Turkey e-mail: aysegul.erdemir@yahoo.com Summary Misvak is the name of an instrument used as toothbrush in the Islamic world of the middle ages and the tradition of using it to clean teeth has survived since then In this paper,the place of misvak is specified and some results are obtained. Key Words: Misvak, Turkish Medicine, Toothbrush “Misvak” is a word in Arabic and it means toothbrush or toothpick. Its form that is used most frequently is “sivak and its plural form is “suvuk”. Neither of the words can be found in the holy Koran. “Sivak” is used instead of “misvak” in the prophet Mohammad’s sayings. AbdAllahb.Mas’ûd, the assistant of Mohammad, is known as “sâhib al-sivâk” (the protector of the misvak) for taking great care of the prophet’s misvak. Misvak is “arak” or “diş paklayıcı (tooth cleaner)” in Turkish, “tooth-brush-tree” in English, “Sefkom” in German and “arac” or “Msuak” in French. Misvak (stipites, Salvadorae) is produced from a dried piece of the trunk, branches or root of a Salvadora persica L (Salvadoraceae) plant. It is in the form of a stick with silvery dusky color. It is as thick as a finger and 10-20 cm long. The plant (Salvadora persica L) misvak is produced from is a small tree with no thorns. The leaves have symmetrical edges looking like skin. The flowers have four pieces and the fruits have the shape of a tiny cherry. It grows in northern Africa, Iran and India. 102 ISHIM 2011-2012

The Developments on the Use of Misvaque in the Turkish History of Dentistry Ayşegül DEMIRHAN ERDEMIR Misvak is used instead of toothbrush to clean teeth. It is still popular among Muslims. The Islamic world had already been using misvak centuries before the modern toothbrushes were produced in the 18 th century, which demonstrates the importance Muslims attached to teeth cleaning. However, some other methods have been determined to be used in several civilizations in the ancient times. Two of such methods are using toothpicks and rubbing teeth with some drogs. Assyrians of the ancient Mesopotamia took great care of teeth cleaning. Some Mesopotamian tablets say: “If a person’s teeth are yellowish, they are cleaned with Akkad Salt turpentine and the mouth is washed with honey and beer” (2). Mesopotamians knew how to use toothpicks too. Excavations have revealed that kings had toilet sets including thin sheets of gold and silver used as toothpicks. In some excavations carried out in northern Italy, Switzerland and France, it was found many strings of toothpicks made of bronze, iron and silver. The rings those strings were bound around had a tool to clean ears, a small fork to scratch head or clean nails and a thin lancet with a sharp point thought to be used as a toothpick. Thus, it is possible to claim that oral health maintained with toothpicks dates back to 3000 years ago (3). In the Hallstatt region of Austria, it was found two rings carrying four toilet tools made of bronze. Ancient Egyptians used acacia coal to clean their mouths and whiten their teeth. Oral care was important in Israel of the ancient times too. According to Talmud, the holy book of the country then, a cane should be minced into thin slices and each piece should be used as a toothbrush. Salomon ben Isaac, who lived in the 12 th century, recommended the same method. Moshen ben Maimon (Maimonides) (1135-1204) stated that teeth should be brushed after having bath with powdered cinnamon, rose barks, salt and cuttlefish bones and after that, mouth should be washed with vinegar. In the ancient Greek civilization, Docies (4 th century) recommended cleaning teeth with glue. In Europe, Desidarius recommended in his work “De Civilitate Morium, Basil” (1530) that food remnants between teeth should be taken out using hedgehog spines or thin chicken bones. John Arderne (1307 - ), who was an English surgeon, recommended mastic for teeth cleaning. Toothpick became popular in Europe in 1400s and English people began to use it in 1488. The first modern toothbrush was made in 1780s in England by William Addis. It was made of a bone stick with holes at one of its end in which wisps of hair stabilized with wires were inserted. Toothbrush spread in Boston in 1796. It began to be produced in France in 1840 and later in Germany and Japan. Pig hair was used in the earlier times, but nylon was preferred after 1888. Foot bones of sheep were the first material used for the handles of the toothbrushes. Handles made of celluloid were produced in 1900s and they were replaced by handles made of celluloid acetate in 1930s. However, celluloid acetate handles required high costs to produce, which caused the production of handles made of plastic. In our day, electric toothbrushes are sold everywhere. Japanese people have used some small sticks for tooth health until the recent times. They were called “koyoji” and used like misvak ripping fibers off one of the ends. Today, very modern toothbrushes are produced in Japan. In Africa, toothpicks called “msuaki” are popular all around the continent (12). The Islamic world was already using the technique of brushing teeth with toothbrushes in the Middle Ages, a long time before the 18 th century when Europeans began to use them (16). As a matter of fact, the prophet Mohammad emphasized the importance of tooth cleanliness and he used misvak as toothbrush. He liked brushing his teeth with it a lot (15). He has nearly 40 sayings about it. He brushed his teeth with misvak when he came home and woke up and before he performed his ablution, worshipped and fasted (4). He used it when he woke up at night to perform his ritual prayers too. He said “Use misvak! It will clean your mouths. If it did not bother the believers much, I would order them all to use misvak before every ritual of worshipping. Two complete acts of worship in the prescribed postures performed after using misvak are more acceptable than seventy acts performed not using it before” (9, 18). Besides this, Mohammad liked misvaks made of olive trees best. Although misvak is mainly produced from Salvadora Persica plant, pieces of the trunks, branches and roots of 17 kinds of plant are used for the purpose. Senna and peach tree are amongst those plants. His misvaks were among Mohammad’s personal possessions left after his death. Today, his two misvaks are exhibited in Topkapı Palace together with the other holy relics. One of them was made of misvak tree and the other one is of senna. Turkish medical history suggests that the Turks of the middle Asia knew about oral hygiene even in the middle ages. Rubbing teeth with brushes, washing mouth and using toothpicks called “hilal (crescent)” were all in the traditions a long time before the adoption of Islam (8). After Turks converted to Islam, they began to use misvak in dentistry. Some medical manuscripts in Turkish give information about oral health and misvak (13). For instance; Germiyanlı Ozan, an eminent Turkish physician of the 15 th century, translated Ahmed-i Dâî Ebu Nuaym Hâfız Isfahanî’s “Eş-Şifa fi ahadis al-Mustafa” into Turkish and called it “Kitâb-al Şifa fi ahadis al-Mustafa”. In this translation done in the name of Timurtaş Paşazade Umur Bey, one of the vi- ISHIM 2011-2012 103

The Developments on <strong>the</strong> Use <strong>of</strong> Misvaque<br />

in <strong>the</strong> Turkish <strong>History</strong> <strong>of</strong> Dentistry<br />

Ayşegül DEMIRHAN ERDEMIR<br />

Pr<strong>of</strong>. Dr. Uludağ University Medical Faculty Deontology Department, Bursa/Turkey<br />

e-mail: aysegul.erdemir@yahoo.com<br />

Summary<br />

Misvak is <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> an instrument used as toothbrush in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Islamic</strong> world <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> middle ages and <strong>the</strong> tradition <strong>of</strong> using it to clean teeth has survived<br />

since <strong>the</strong>n In this paper,<strong>the</strong> place <strong>of</strong> misvak is specified and some results are obtained.<br />

Key Words: Misvak, Turkish <strong>Medicine</strong>, Toothbrush<br />

“Misvak” is a word in Arabic and it means toothbrush<br />

or toothpick. Its <strong>for</strong>m that is used most frequently is “sivak<br />

and its plural <strong>for</strong>m is “suvuk”. Nei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> words can be<br />

found in <strong>the</strong> holy Koran. “Sivak” is used instead <strong>of</strong> “misvak”<br />

in <strong>the</strong> prophet Mohammad’s sayings. AbdAllahb.Mas’ûd,<br />

<strong>the</strong> assistant <strong>of</strong> Mohammad, is known as “sâhib al-sivâk”<br />

(<strong>the</strong> protector <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> misvak) <strong>for</strong> taking great care <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

prophet’s misvak. Misvak is “arak” or “diş paklayıcı (tooth<br />

cleaner)” in Turkish, “tooth-brush-tree” in English, “Sefkom”<br />

in German and “arac” or “Msuak” in French.<br />

Misvak (stipites, Salvadorae) is produced from a dried<br />

piece <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> trunk, branches or root <strong>of</strong> a Salvadora persica L<br />

(Salvadoraceae) plant. It is in <strong>the</strong> <strong>for</strong>m <strong>of</strong> a stick with silvery<br />

dusky color. It is as thick as a finger and 10-20 cm long.<br />

The plant (Salvadora persica L) misvak is produced from<br />

is a small tree with no thorns. The leaves have symmetrical<br />

edges looking like skin. The flowers have four pieces and<br />

<strong>the</strong> fruits have <strong>the</strong> shape <strong>of</strong> a tiny cherry. It grows in nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />

Africa, Iran and India.<br />

102<br />

ISHIM 2011-2012

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