What it means
مسواک (mesvâk) is the standard Persian word for a toothbrush, and by extension the action of brushing your teeth. It is borrowed from Arabic miswāk (مسواك), which originally referred to a small twig from the arak tree used to clean teeth. In modern Persian the word refers entirely to the plastic toothbrush. A close related phrase is مسواک زدن (mesvâk zadan), meaning to brush one’s teeth. The word دندانبرس (dandân-boros), a calque from English, exists but is rarely used in speech.
How to use it
- مسواکت رو زدی؟ (mesvâket ro zadi?) “Did you brush your teeth?”
- باید دو بار در روز مسواک بزنی. (bâyad do bâr dar ruz mesvâk bezani.) “You need to brush your teeth twice a day.”
- مسواک من خراب شده، باید یه دونه بخرم. (mesvâk-e man kharâb shode, bâyad ye dune bekharam.) “My toothbrush is worn out, I need to buy a new one.”
- قبل از خواب مسواک بزن. (qabl az khâb mesvâk bezan.) “Brush your teeth before bed.”
Cultural note
The Arabic root of this word reflects the historical importance of dental hygiene in Islamic practice. The miswak twig is mentioned in hadith as a recommended act of cleanliness, and its use was widespread in Iran long before modern toothbrushes arrived. Today the modern plastic toothbrush completely dominates, but the Arabic-origin name stuck firmly in everyday Persian. Dentists in Iran typically recommend brushing for at least two minutes, using a soft-bristle brush.