Chewing sticks were not just popular in India (see my post on Ancient India). Ancient Muslims have been chewing on the branches of the Salvadora persica tree in order to keep teeth clean for centuries. These chewing sticks are still popular today and are readily available. The chewing stick, also known as a miswak, can be made from a variety of tree branches. Cleaning before prayer is a basic tenant of the faith, and that is present is the Hadith. Muhammad himself is cited as saying “Were it not that I might overburden the believers-and in the hadith transmitted by Zuhair” people” -I would have ordered them to use toothstick…