Miswak/Derum Manipulation, a Common Habit in Baluchestan, Iran

A teeth-cleaning twig or twig toothbrush– commonly known as a miswak or derum depending on the society and/or culture– is a tool made from a tree that has antimicrobial properties. This traditional tooth brush, or chewing stick, has been used since ancient times. The earliest twig toothbrushes have been found in China dating from 1600 B.C., in an Egyptian tomb from 3000 B.C., and in Babylonia from 3500 B.C. (1).