The Impact Of Formula Milk Consumption On Salivary pH In Pre-School Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Early childhood caries (ECC) is a significant global health problem affecting nearly half of pre-schoolers worldwide. Some research suggests that formula consumption patterns, including duration, frequency, timing, and mode of consumption, may affect ECC risk. Previous research found that infants with early childhood caries had an acidic salivary pH, while caries-free infants had a normal salivary pH. The purpose of the study was to analyze the relationship of formula milk to the salivary pH of preschool children. Research Methods using analytical surveys. The cross-sectional study approach is to look for the relationship between formula milk consumption and salivary pH. The sample in this study was 48 students of SPS TA'AM Mathlaul Anwar Kota Tasikmalaya aged 3 to 6 years. The results of the Spearman Correlation test obtained p of 0.001 (p < 0.05) with the result r -709 means a strong relationship. This study concludes that there is a strong and unidirectional relationship that the more often you consume formula milk, the lower the salivary pH in preschool children