Effect of various carbohydrate snacks on salivary pH, streptococcus mutans and lactobacillus counts

ABSTRACT

Sixty third grade children aging 8-10 years were randomly chosen participate in this study. The children were divided into three groups The first group received starchy snacks [potato chips and manufactured maize], the second group received sugary starchy snacks [biscuits], and the third one received sugary snacks [candy]. Six salivary samples were collected just before and then after 5, 10, 1, 30 and 60 minutes from consuming the snacks. The diagnostic tests were salivary buffering power [pH], counts of salivary streptococcus mutant and lactobacilli. It was concluded that the three tested snacks lowered the salivary pH and increased the bacterial proliferation, but the effect significantly differed at different sampling times. And there was a relation between increased salivary acidity and increased bacterial count at different sampling time for the tested snack