DIFFERENCES OF SALIVARY pH AFTER CONSUMING UHT MILK AND PASTEURIZED MILK IN STUDENTS OF SMPN 2 KARANG INTAN

Abstract

The most common dental and oral health problem is dental caries. Risks can be
detected by performing saliva analysis. Saliva is a liquid with a very volatile composition and
can be analyzed its acidity (pH), electrolyte content and protein contained in it. These three
things are influenced by several factors including, psychological state, stimulus, hormone levels,
body movements, drugs and diet. One that can affect salivary pH is milk. There are several types
of milk, including UHT milk and pasteurized milk. Milk contains many nutrients such as
carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins. This study aims to determine the differences
in salivary pH after consuming UHT milk and pasteurized milk in students of SMPN 2 Karang
Intan. This study uses quasi-experimental methods with One Group Pretest Posttest. The number
of subjects in this study were 60 people consisting of two groups: the first group consumed 250
ml UHT milk and the second group consumed 250 ml pasteurized milk. Each group has 30
subjects. Saliva pH measurement using a digital pH meter. Data analysis used the Independent
sample T-Test to find out the differences between the two independent data groups with a
confidence level of 0.05.The results of the study were the average salivary pH after consuming
UHT milk was 6.91 and after consuming pasteurized milk was 6.73. Based on the results of the
analysis of the Independent Sample T-test, the Sig (2-tailed) value p = 0,000 < α 0.05. It can be
concluded that there is a difference in salivary pH after consuming UHT milk and pasteurized
milk. UHT milk can be a better alternative to consume because it can further increase the pH of
Saliva.