Dabur tries to find the root of its Meswak toothpaste

Curiosity can take you places. Dabur Meswak toothpaste made travel influencer Meenakshi Arvind go on a trip to search for a tree called, of all things, ‘Miswak tree’.

Dabur Meswak is a herbal toothpaste for sensitive teeth. Dabur’s website says that it is “scientifically formulated herbal toothpaste with pure extract of the Miswak plant 'Salvadore Persica'...The astringent and anti-bacterial properties of Meswak help reduce tooth decay, fight plaque and prevent gum diseases. Miswak is a rare, potent, priceless, wonder herb that delivers incredible dental care benefits."

“Of late, I have taken an interest in natural products also,” says Arvind. It’s also a nod to India’s increased interest in Ayurvedic products and offerings because the Coronavirus pandemic has made all of us take stock of our health and well-being.

Arvind says that the toothpaste is made from a rare tree known to grow in Africa and South Asia. She says that her grandmother told her about a “similar tree called Uga Maram (Tamil) that grows in Tamil Nadu.”

Finding the Miswak tree was no easy feat. “We researched a lot, asked many people, but no one seems to know,” said Arvind.

But, she finally found a person who provided reliable information about the Uga tree and told her to head to Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu. Turns out there is a Miswak Nagar there. A local resident Sahul Hameed revealed that he named the area ‘Miswak Nagar’ after he found out about the tree.

It’s an interesting ad that takes us to the roots of the toothpaste and far away from regular toothbrush ads we’re so used to watching on TV, or online.

Earlier, Dabur, along with Ogilvy, had released a campaign where they brought back Chaubeyji, who is seen eating raw haldi, amla and ginger to improve his immunity. Chaubeyji credits Dabur Red Paste for his powerful teeth that let him chew all the raw ingredients to gain immunity.