Efektifitas Mengunyah Keju Cheddar Terhadap Peningkatan Konsentrasi Ion Kalisum Saliva Sebagai Alternatif Pencegahan Karies Gigi:

Effectiveness of Cheddar Cheese Chew Against Increasing of Calcium Ion Concentration in Saliva as an Alternative for Dental Caries Prevention

Abstract

Keju merupakan salah satu produk susu yang kaya akan mineral, vitamin, fosfor, kalsium dan protein (kasein) yang berperan dalam mengurangi insidens karies. Keju cheddar dapat mengurangi risiko karies karena ion kalsium pada keju dapat melindungi gigi dari asam dengan cara meningkatkan pH saliva (buffer). Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui konsentrasi ion kalsium pada saliva sebelum, sesudah 3 dan 5 menit mengunyah keju. Jenis penelitian ini adalah eksperimental klinis dengan rancangan pre dan post test control group design. Subjek penelitian adalah 30 orang mahasiswa Fakultas Kedokteran Gigi USU yang secara random dibagi menjadi 2 kelompok yaitu kelompok perlakuan mengunyah keju cheddar dan kelompok kontrol mengunyah paraffin wax. Sampel saliva awal (baseline) diambil lalu kelompok perlakuan diberikan 5 gr keju cheddar dan 5 gr paraffin wax untuk kelompok kontrol. Kedua kelompok diinstruksikan mengunyah selama 3 menit lalu sampel saliva diambil. Subjek diinstruksikan untuk tidak mengonsumsi apapun selama 5 menit dan pengambilan sampel saliva kembali dilakukan. Konsentrasi ion kalsium saliva diukur dengan metode Spektofotometri Serapan Atom (SSA). Untuk mengetahui perbedaan rata-rata konsentrasi ion kalsium pada saliva sebelum, sesudah mengunyah 3 dan 5 menit antara kelompok mengunyah keju cheddar dengan kelompok kontrol dilakukan dengan uji t. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan adanya peningkatan konsentrasi ion kalsium dalam saliva yang signifikan antara sebelum mengunyah 1,67 ± 0,44 µg/ml, sesudah mengunyah 3 menit yaitu 4,63 ± 2,21 µg/ml dan setelah 5 menit perlakuan menjadi 2,34 ± 0,89 µg/ml (p<0,05) sedangkan tidak terdapat peningkatan yang signifikan pada kelompok kontrol, yaitu sebelum mengunyah 1,61 ± 0,54 µg/ml sesudah mengunyah 3 menit 2,16 ± 1,22 µg/ml dan setelah 5 menit perlakuan 2,15 ± 0,77 µg/ml (p>0,05). Dapat disimpulkan bahwa mengunyah keju cheddar efektif dalam meningkatkan konsentrasi ion kalsium dalam saliva sehingga dapat mencegah terjadinya karies.

Cheese is a dairy product that is rich in minerals, vitamins, phosphorus, calcium and protein (casein) which plays a role in reducing caries. Cheddar cheese can reduce caries risk because calcium ions in cheese can protect teeth from acid by increasing the pH of saliva (buffer). The objective of this study was to determine the calcium ion concentration in saliva before and after 3 and 5 minutes chewing cheese. This study employed clinical experimental research with a pre and post test control group design. The research subjects were 30 students of Faculty of Dentistry University of North Sumatera who were randomly divided into 2 groups, namely the treatment group chewing cheddar cheese and the control group chewing paraffin wax. The baseline saliva sample was taken and the treatment group was given 5 grams of cheddar cheese and 5 grams of paraffin wax for the control group. The two groups were instructed to chew for 3 minutes then the saliva sample was taken. Subjects were instructed not to consume anything for 5 minutes and saliva sample was taken once again. Calcium ion concentration in saliva was measured by Atomic Absorption Spectofotometry (AAS). Then t-test was conducted to find out the difference in calcium ion concentration in saliva before and after chewing 3 and 5 minutes between groups chewing cheddar cheese with the control group. The results showed that there was a significant increase in the concentration of calcium ion in saliva; before chewing, it was 1.67 ± 0.44 µg/ml, after chewing for 3 minutes it was 4.63 ± 2.21 µg/ml and after chewing for 5 minutes it became 2.34 ± 0.89 µg/ml (p<0.05). However, there was no significant increase in the control group; before chewing it was 1.61 ± 0.54 µg/ml, after chewing 3 minutes it was 2.16 ± 1.22 µg/ml, and after chewing 5 minutes it was 2.15 ± 0.77 µg/ml (p> 0.05). It could be concluded that chewing cheddar cheese was effective in increasing the concentration of calcium ions in saliva so that it could prevent the occurrence of caries.