The Effect of Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) Mouthwash on Salivary pH

Backgrounds: One of preventive way to prevent plaque is using mouthwash. The use of essentials oil in mouthwash has proven reducing Streptococcus mutans. Teatree oil is kind of essentials oil extracted from Melaleuca alternifolia leaves containing terpinene-4-ol, that has antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal action. Objectives: Provide information about the effect of gargling with tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) mouthwash on salivary pH. Methods: This type of research is clinical experimental with pretest-posttest control group design. Normality test used Shapiro-Wilk, and statistical test using Paired T-test. Results: Statistical test showed increased salivary pH (P=0.004) after gargling with tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) mouthwash. Conclusion: Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) mouthwash can increased salivary pH.