Effects of Sidamanik Black Tea on Salivary Flow Rate, Total Protein, and Albumin Levels in Young Adults: An in Vivo Study

Saliva is crucial in maintaining oral health, performing functions such as antibacterial activity, buffering, and ensuring tooth integrity. In this regard, black tea, a medicinal plant with potential anti-cariogenic agents, has been suggested to exert preventive effects against caries. Therefore, this study aimed to determine effects of black tea consumption on salivary flow rate, pH, as well as total protein and albumin levels in young adults. A pre-experimental design was used with a one-group pretest-posttest approach. The samples selected were 18 healthy young adults aged 18-25 years, with DMF-T scores of 1-5. Salivary flow rate, total protein, and salivary albumin were measured using a digital scale after a 5-minute interval, the bicinchoninic acid assay method, and the bromocresol green method, respectively. The results showed a significant increase in salivary flow, a substantial decrease in albumin, and an insignificant elevation in total protein. In conclusion, black tea manifested the capability to prevent caries by enhancing salivary flow and total protein levels. Furthermore, the impact in inhibiting bacteria activity depended on the presence of salivary albumin.

Improving Dental and Oral Health through Counseling and Training on Dental and Oral Health Maintenance and Introduction of Dental Radiography Examination in Children and Installation of Sinks at Belawan Islamic Junior High School, Medan Belawan District

Healthy behavior can affect the health of everyone's body. Dental and oral health is very important to always pay attention to because it is part of general health. To keep your teeth and mouth healthy, you can always keep your teeth and mouth clean every day. The easiest thing to do is to brush your teeth and wash your hands before eating. Techniques and the correct way of brushing teeth greatly affect dental hygiene. If the oral health is not good, then it requires a dental radiographic examination as a supporting examination to be able to determine the condition of the teeth and the supporting tissues of the teeth as a whole. This activity is based on the need to maintain dental and oral health from an early age, so that good behavior in maintaining health can be accustomed from childhood. In addition, there are still many children in junior high school who are not properly aware of the importance of dental health for general health. This counseling can increase knowledge and provide understanding and awareness about the importance of maintaining personal and oral health by brushing teeth regularly and washing hands properly

Potential Antibacterial of Binahong Leaf Extract Against Bacteria Enterococcus faecalis ATCC® 29212™ (in vitro): Potensi Antibakteri Ekstrak Daun Binahong Terhadap Bakteri Enterococcus faecalis ATCC® 29212™ (in vitro)

  Binahong is a plant widely found in Indonesia and has been used for generations, but only by inheritance without much optimal research. Enterococcus faecalis is bacteria that cause many problems in the oral cavity such as periradicular lesion. The purpose of this study was to determine the zone of inhibition, Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC), and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of Binahong leaf extract against bacteria Enterococcus faecalis ATCC® 29212TM concentrations of 100%, 90%, 80%, 70%, and 60%, chlorhexidine 0,2% as positive control and DMSO as a negative control. The experimental method used for the research with a post-test only control group design, pure bacteria prepared in the microbiology laboratory, and Binahong leaf extract used in the chemical laboratory of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) at the University of North Sumatera. Five treatments of Binahong leaf extract concentration were tested as samples four times. MBC and MIC measurements of Binahong leaf extract against Enterococcus faecalis ATCC® 29212TM were exchanged for each concentration. Mueller Hinton Agar (MHA) and Nutrient Broth incubated for 24 hours at 37°C. The ANOVA test data is analysed, followed by the Post Hoc test. The average inhibition zone of 100% concentration was 14.19 mm, 90% was 12.25 mm, 80% was (10.19 mm), 70% was 8.81 mm, 60% was 0.00 mm, chlorhexidine 0,2% was 20.88 mm, and DMSO was 0.00 m). The conclusion is that the best inhibition zone has a concentration of 100%, MBC was at 100%, and MIC was at 60%