The Impact of Dental Caries on the Nutritional Status of Kindergarten Children at Darul Imarah, Aceh Besar Regency

Abstract

Background: Dental caries is a common oral health issue among school-aged children. The oral environment, including salivary pH, plays a role in the development of caries. Saliva is crucial for maintaining oral pH balance and facilitating the remineralization of hard dental tissues. Cocoa beans (*Theobroma cacao* L.) contain bioactive compounds—such as theobromine—that have potential as active ingredients in toothpaste. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of a cocoa bean methanol extract toothpaste formula on salivary pH before and after toothbrushing among students at SDN Kayee Leu, Aceh Besar. Methods: A pre-experimental design with a one-group pretest-posttest approach was employed. The study sample consisted of 30 students from SDN Kayee Leu, Aceh Besar. Salivary pH was measured before and after the respondents brushed their teeth using the cocoa bean methanol extract toothpaste. Data were analyzed using univariate and bivariate statistical tests appropriate for the data distribution. Results: The mean salivary pH before using the cocoa extract toothpaste was 6.42 ± 0.38, while after use, it increased to 6.91 ± 0.31. An increase of 0.49 in mean salivary pH was observed. Statistical analysis yielded a p-value of 0.001 (p<0.05), indicating a significant difference in salivary pH before and after using the cocoa extract toothpaste. Conclusion: The use of cocoa bean methanol extract toothpaste significantly increased salivary pH among students at SDN Kayee Leu, Aceh Besar. Cocoa extract toothpaste has the potential to be developed as a natural-based product to support oral health maintenance in children.