PENGARUH BERKUMUR REBUSAN DAUN SIRIH (Piper betle L.) TERHADAP pH SALIVA PADA LANSIA

Increasing age is also accompanied by many dental and oral problems. Teeth and saliva decreased function resulting in demineralization of the enamel surface. Betel leaves contain ingredients that can strengthen teeth and clear the throat. This study aims to determine the effect of gargling boiled betel leaves (Piper betle L.) on salivary pH in the elderly. The research method used was a quasi experiment with a one group pretest-posttest design. The research sample consisted of 41 people using purposive sampling technique. Data were analyzed using the paired sample t-test. The research results showed that the pretest pH was 5.66 and the posttest pH was 7.52. The analysis test results showed that the p-value was 0.000 < α 0.05. It can be concluded that there is an effect of gargling boiled betel leaves (Piper betle L.) on the pH of saliva in the elderly at the Budi Sejahtera Social Protection and Rehabilitation Home (PPRSLU), South Kalimantan Province.