Assessment of Salivary pH Response to Chocolates with Varying Cocoa Content in Low and High Caries Risk Children: A Clinical Trial

Introduction: To evaluate and compare salivary pH changes at different time intervals to chocolates with varying concentrations of cocoa among low and high caries risk group children. Materials and Methods: The parallel arm, double-blinded, uncontrolled matched pair clinical trial was set. Fifty healthy children aged, 7–10 years were selected based on a customized Food Frequency Questionnaire related to the intake and frequency of commonly consumed sugary snacks. Children who consume chocolates daily were assigned into low- and high-risk groups, 25 each, based on the american academy of pediatric dentistry (AAPD) caries risk assessment tool. Four chocolates with varying cocoa content (70%, 50%, 30%, and 0%) were randomly given for consumption, and salivary pH was recorded at baseline, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30-min time intervals. Results: One-way ANOVA, post-hoc , and paired t -tests were used to analyze the results by SPSS software. Statistically significant variations in the salivary pH at 10 min postconsumption interval were observed between high and low caries risk group children to dark chocolates with 50% cocoa content. Although a statistically significant difference was not observed between the other chocolates, dark chocolates with 70% cocoa were found to have the least drop in salivary pH at 10 min and white chocolate was found to have a maximum pH drop at 10 min in a high caries risk group. In contrast, milk chocolate caused maximum pH in a low caries risk group, at 10 min. Conclusion: Dark chocolate with 50% cocoa exhibited a more acidogenic response in the high and low caries risk groups. Dark chocolates with 70% cocoa content are the least acidogenic.