Research of IPB University Students: Cheese is Effective to Prevent Dental Caries
Dental caries is one of common health problems experienced by Indonesian people. It is caused by bacteria that ferment food waste (sugar) into acidic compounds that can damage teeth. This condition is often caused by people lifestyle who is less concerned about the health of the teeth and mouth. Maintaining dental health is important to prevent dental caries.
Research that was conducted by three IPB University students, Muhammad Muflih Fathulhuda, Cindy Caroline and Shafwah Muthmainnah, proved that cheese is able to prevent dental caries. “So far, dental caries can be prevented by brushing teeth regularly using toothpaste that contains certain chemicals. However, this solution is still not effective. Therefore, we try to explore the potential of compounds contained in cheese, namely casein phosphopeptides,” said Muflih.
The research idea was originated from the fact that this dairy product is well-known to have good benefits for the body. The trend of cheese consumption among community itself is currently experiencing an increase and is widely used as a food ingredient.
“According to some literature that we have read, casein phosphopeptides compounds have potential to prevent dental caries. The aging process in cheese making can increase the content of casein phosphopeptides compounds. So when compared with other milk derivative products, cheese has more casein phosphopeptides,” explained Muflih.
The study began by isolating the casein phosphopeptides compounds in cheese. Then the inhibitory test was performed on Streptococcus mutans, which is one of the main bacteria that causes dental caries.
“The test results showed that the casein phosphopeptides isolated could inhibit the growth of S. mutans with a larger diameter of inhibition zone than the commercial toothpaste we used as a positive control,” said Muflih.
Muflih further explained, the next stage was the tooth hardness test by demineralizing and remineralizing the teeth. According to the hypothesis, remineralization of teeth using casein phosphopeptides will increase the calcium content in the teeth, resulting in harder teeth.
“We plan to publish this study results in a journal. For long-term plan, we will make products from casein phosphopeptides compounds that can help reduce the prevalence of dental caries in Indonesia,” concluded Muflih. (Rizky/Zul/zsp)
