The Effects of Extracts of Chewing Sticks (Salvadora Persica) on Healthy and Periodontally Involved Human Dentine: a SEM Study

The popularity and availability of chewing sticks (Salvadora persica) in the Asia, Middle East and Africa make them a commonly used oral hygiene tool in those societies. Salvador persica chewing stick called miswak is frequently used in Saudi Arabia. The antimicrobial effects of miswak has been well documented. The aim of this study is to find our the effect of aqueous extracts of miswak on healthy and periodontally involved human dentine with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) in vitro. 25% aqueous extract of freshly prepared miswak solution was used for the study. Twelve human premolars teeth (6 healthy and 6 with periodontal disease) recently extracted for orthodontic and periodontal reasons were used. 24 SEM specimens were prepared and treated with miswak extract with different conditions e.g. soaking and burnishing with miswak extract. Soaking the healthy and periodontally diseased root dentine in miswak extract resulted in partial removal of smear layer and occlusion of dentinal tubules was observed in dentine specimens burnished with miswak solution. Further research is needed to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of miswak on etched human dentine at higher concentrations.