Dental caries is a multifactorial process that occurs through the interaction between teeth and saliva as host, the bacteria in the oral cavity, as well as easily fermented foods. Saliva is one of the factors that have a major influence on the severity of dental caries. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of salivary pH with dental caries among 564 preschool-age children in DIY Province and Banten Province. The results showed that pH levels of the preschool-age children\u27saliva are more than 75% basic ranging between 6.8 to 8.0 and the highest levels are in Serang District. Index def-t in Serang District is highest (8.83) and the lowest one is in Yogyakarta City (4.97). The mean number of cavities/ decay more than missing teeth or filling teeth. The study indicates that the acidity of saliva among preschool children in the two provinces is not associated with the occurrence of dental caries.It is more likely due to the habit of drinking sweet milk or eating sticky foods.
展开▼