Abstract

Dental caries is still a major dental health problem in Indonesia, and preventive measures needs to be done to resolve it. Enamel is the outer layer of the tooth that is important to protect tooth against caries. Until now, fluoride is well known as one of the reinforcing materials which effectively prevent enamel from dental caries, but the side effects of fluorosis remain debatable because the dose that causes it can not be measured. Therefore, the development of alternative reinforcing materials which are relatively safe in an effort to prevent tooth enamel caries is still required. Theobromine, one of three types of alkaloids contained in cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) has been reported to prevent caries by increasing the resistance of tooth enamel tissue. Two types of local clones of Indonesian cocoa beans, Sulawesi 1 (S1) and Sulawesi 2 (S2), were analyzed for its alkaloid's characteristics using HPLC, and its influence on the enamel hardness were determined using Vickers hardness tester machine. The difference in the value of Vickers hardness numbers (VHN) of tooth enamel were analyzed using one-way ANOVA (p <0.05). Optimal concentration and immersion time was obtained by comparing three types of Theobomine solution concentration (0.1%, of 0.05%, and a 0.01%) and three kinds of immersion time (1 h, 30 min, and 15 min). VHN value is highest in the group of single theobromine 0.1% - 1 h (p = 0.000). VHN values of mixed group of alkaloids S1 - 1 h showed significant differences with the group buffer (negative control) (p = 0.028) and did not differ significantly with single theobromine group of 0.05% - 1 h (p = 1.000), 0.1% - 30 min (p = 1.000), 0.1% - 15 min (p = 1.000) and a 0.01% - 1 h (p = 0685). The alkaloids content of Sulawesi 1 with a mixture ratio of alkaloids theobromine: theophyline: Caffeine, 6: 1 : 1, affected tooth enamel hardness.

Key words: Alkaloids, cocoa beans, dental caries, tooth enamel, hardness.