Comparative Impact of Chocolate and Chocolate- Raw Almond Intake on Salivary pH Dynamics and Stephan Curve

Zeynep Ceren Çelik; Sümeyye Şükran Özkeleş; Esra Özgöçmen Tula

doi:10.7126/cumudj.1667575

TR EN

Çikolata ve Çikolata-Badem Kombinasyonunun Tükürük pH Dinamiği ve Stephan Eğrisi Üzerindeki Karşılaştırmalı Etkisi

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, çikolatanın tek başına tüketilmesi ile çiğ bademle birlikte tüketilmesinin tükürük pH kinetiği üzerindeki etkisini değerlendirmek ve kritik pH düşüşlerini önleme yetenekleri ile zaman içindeki tamponlama verimliliklerini karşılaştırmaktır. Materyal ve Metot: Bu çalışmada, 34 sağlıklı genç yetişkinde çikolatanın tek başına ve çiğ bademle birlikte tüketilmesine bağlı Stephan Eğrisi yanıtı değerlendirilmiş, tükürük pH kinetiği ve tamponlama kapasitesi ölçülmüştür. Standart bir protokol kullanılarak çoklu zaman noktalarında tükürük örnekleri toplanmış ve pH, kalibre edilmiş bir dijital pH metre ile analiz edilerek her bir koşulun oral klirens ve asit nötralizasyonu üzerindeki etkisi incelenmiştir. Bulgular: Her iki grupta da tüketim sonrası tükürük pH'ında ani bir düşüş gözlemlenmiştir. En düşük pH değerleri, çikolata grubunda 1. dakikada (pH = 5,1), çikolata-badem kombinasyonunda ise 5. dakikada (pH = 5,6) kaydedilmiştir. Çikolata tek başına tüketildiğinde pH 30 dakika içinde başlangıç değerine yaklaşırken, çikolata-badem kombinasyonunda bu süre yaklaşık 45 dakika sürmüştür. Önemli bir şekilde, çikolata-badem kombinasyonunda pH, hidroksiapatit için kritik pH eşiği olan 5,5'in üzerinde kalmıştır, bu da mine demineralizasyonu riskinin daha düşük olduğunu göstermektedir. Sonuç: Çikolataya çiğ badem eklenmesi, pH düşüşünü yavaşlatarak kritik eşiğin üzerinde kalmasını sağlamış ve potansiyel bir kariyostatik etkiye işaret etmiştir. Çiğ badem, yüksek karbonhidratlı gıdaların kariyojenik riskini azaltmada yardımcı olabilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Comparative Impact of Chocolate and Chocolate- Raw Almond Intake on Salivary pH Dynamics and Stephan Curve

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of consuming chocolate alone versus in combination with raw almonds on salivary pH kinetics, focusing on their ability to prevent critical pH drops and their buffering efficiency over time. Materials and Methods: This study assessed the Stephan Curve response to the consumption of chocolate alone and in combination with raw almonds in 34 healthy young adults, measuring salivary pH kinetics and buffering capacity. Saliva samples were collected at multiple time points using a standardized protocol, and pH was analyzed with a calibrated digital pH meter to evaluate the impact of each condition on oral clearance and acid neutralization. Results: Both groups exhibited an immediate decrease in salivary pH post-consumption. The lowest pH values were observed at 1 minute for chocolate (pH = 5.1) and at 5 minutes for the chocolate-almond combination (pH = 5.6). The chocolate-alone group returned toward baseline within 30 minutes, whereas the chocolate-almond combination required approximately 45 minutes. Notably, the pH for the chocolate-almond combination remained above the critical pH threshold of 5.5 for hydroxyapatite, indicating a lower risk of enamel demineralization. Conclusion: Adding raw almonds to chocolate slowed pH decline, keeping it above the critical threshold, indicating a potential cariostatic effect. Raw almonds may help reduce the cariogenic risk of high-carb foods.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Nil.

Ethical Statement

This study was conducted in compliance with the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants were informed about the purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits of the study and provided written informed consent before their inclusion. The study protocol was approved by the Health Research Ethics Committee, Bursa Uludag University Faculty of Medicine (Approval Number: 2024-16/21).

Thanks

Nil.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Restorative Dentistry , Public Health Dentistry

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Zeynep Ceren Çelik ^*
0000-0002-6900-2632
Türkiye

Sümeyye Şükran Özkeleş
0000-0002-2084-330X
Türkiye

Esra Özgöçmen Tula
0000-0002-8136-082X
Türkiye

Publication Date

June 30, 2025

Submission Date

March 28, 2025

Acceptance Date

May 26, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 28 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7126/cumudj.1667575

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA47FG82KF

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

EndNote

Çelik ZC, Özkeleş SŞ, Özgöçmen Tula E (June 1, 2025) Comparative Impact of Chocolate and Chocolate- Raw Almond Intake on Salivary pH Dynamics and Stephan Curve. Cumhuriyet Dental Journal 28 2 272–277.