Comparison of salivary pH changes in children aged 6 to 12 following the use of fruit, plain and probiotic yogurt

Abstract

Introduction: Dental caries is a common disease in childhood and this disease is caused by demineralization of tooth mineral structures. Demineralization occurs directly or indirectly. Despite increasing public awareness, early childhood caries continues to significantly affect the population. Early childhood caries is a combination of infectious childhood with cariogenic bacteria and frequent consumption of sugar. Factors including dietary habits, quantity and quality of saliva and dental plaque, age and immunity and oral hygiene habits, oral microflora and dental condition, and genetics are all contributing factors to tooth caries.

Goal: The aim of this study was to compare salivary pH changes in children 6-12 years old following the consumption of fruit , plain and probiotic yogurt.

Materials and methods: All selected individuals (51 people) to enter the study were informed about the manner and process of the project and written consent based on informed and voluntary consent to participate in the study was obtained from parents and children. Participants in the study were randomly divided into three groups of 17 people A, B, C. On the day of the experiment, a sample of primary non-stimulating saliva was prepared from each participant one hour after breakfast and then 10 cc of selected yogurt (peach yogurt, probiotic, plain yogurt, all three of which are the product of a yogurt company) was given to each group, and after 10 minutes another saliva sample was prepared. The pH of both samples was calculated for all subjects by a pH measuring device and the difference between the two values was considered as the rate of pH change.

Results: Among the studied materials, fruit yogurt has the greatest effect in reducing salivary pH in the short term and probiotic yogurt is in the next rank (p <0.001) but plain yogurt has no significant effect in reducing or increasing salivary pH (p = 0.366).

Conclusion: Fruit yogurt has a higher cariogenicity in the short term than probiotic and plain yogurt due to a greater decrease in salivary pH.