Estimation of Buffering Capacity of Saliva Among 17-21 Years Old Population After Probiotic Yogurt Consumption-A Clinical Trial

The buffering capacity of saliva is a crucial function that serves multiple purposes. The normal pH of saliva is 6.3, and the buffering capacity of saliva maintains it above 5.5, thereby preventing demineralization. In this study, we evaluate the buffering capacity of saliva post-consumption of normal and probiotic yogurt. Therefore, the study's objective was to estimate saliva's buffering capacity among the 17-21-year-old population post-probiotic yogurt and regular yogurt consumption. The buffering capacity of saliva was tested using the Ericsson method (1959), where 0.5 mL of saliva was mixed with 1.5 mL of 5 mmol/L HCl. The mixture was mixed aggressively, centrifuged for a minute, and allowed to stand for 10 minutes. The baseline mean salivary buffering capacity of plain yogurt was \(5.70\pm 0.42\), and after 15 days, it decreased to \(4.50\pm 0.70\), then it gradually increased to \(5.35\pm0.77\) after 30 days of follow-up. The baseline mean salivary buffering capacity of probiotic yogurt was \(2.90\pm 0.42\), and after 15 days, it increased to \(4.05\pm 0.21\) then it increased further to \(5.10\pm 0.28\) after 30 days of follow-up. Probiotic yogurt reduces the incidence of dental caries by preventing demineralization of the enamel surface caused by reduced pH levels (acidic pH). However, it is seen that the buffering capacity of saliva does not significantly increase after the consumption of probiotic yogurt as compared to regular yogurt.