The Effect of Chewing the Tapioca Pearls in Bubble Tea Drinks

Quality Improvement of Saliva by Chewing Tapioca Pearls in Bubble Tea Drinks

Bubble tea drinks contain tea and tapioca pearls. Chewing tapioca pearls in bubble tea drinks may increase salivary components. Because of its proteins, inorganic components, and enzymes, saliva plays an important role in the body's defense against bacteria and viruses. This study aims to analyze the effect of chewing the tapioca pearls in bubble tea drinks on salivary C-reactive protein (CRP) and calcium (Ca) levels.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Saliva
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: chewing tapioca pearls in bubble tea drinks; Other: drink tea without chewing tapioca pearls

Detailed Description

Sixty saliva samples were collected from 15 subjects. The inclusion criterion was 18-25 years of age. The exclusion criteria were receiving medication, using dentures, a history of dry mouth, smoking and systemic disease. In the first week of the experiment, subjects drank bubble tea as the intervention group. In the second week, the same subjects drank tea without pearls as the control group. Each subject drank the bubble tea for 5 minutes per day over 3 days. Saliva samples were collected on the first day before bubble tea consumption (pretest) and on the third day after tea consumption (posttest). Saliva collection was performed in the morning (09:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.) for 1 minute. Salivary CRP levels were measured using an ELISA kit, and Ca levels were determined using a test kit.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 15
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Indonesia
  • Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 55281
    • Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Gadjah Mada

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 25 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• good Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified (OHI-S) score

Exclusion Criteria:

• taking medication
• a history of dry mouth
• smoking
• systemic disease

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: chewing tapioca pearls in the bubble tea drinks; In the first week, the subjects drink as much as 100 ml of bubble tea over a span of 5 minutes once a day for 3 days	Other: chewing tapioca pearls in bubble tea drinks; Saliva was collected on the first day before bubble tea consumption (pretest) and on the third day after bubble tea consumption (posttest); collection was conducted in the morning (09:00 a.m.-12.00 p.m.).
Placebo Comparator: drink tea without chewing tapioca pearls; In the second week, the subjects drink tea without tapioca pearls as much as 100 ml for 5 minutes per day for 3 days.	Other: drink tea without chewing tapioca pearls; Saliva was collected on the first day before drink tea without tapioca pearl (pretest) and on the third day after tea consumption (posttest); collection was conducted in the morning (09:00 a.m.-12.00 p.m.).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Salivary C-reactive protein (CRP) level	Salivary CRP level was measured on the first day before chewing tapioca peals in the bubble tea drinks and drink tea. Salivary CRP level was measured on the third day after drink bubble tea and tea without tapioca pearls	3 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Calcium (Ca) level	Ca level was measured on the first day before chewing tapioca peals in the bubble tea drinks and drink tea. Ca level was measured on the third day after drink bubble tea and tea without tapioca pearls	3 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Gadjah Mada University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Juni Handajani, PhD, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Gadjah Mada

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Handajani J, Kusumajati D, Fathiyah H, Susilowati H, Tandelilin RTC. Quality improvement of saliva by chewing tapioca pearls in bubble tea drinks: a randomized experimental trial: (Study on salivary C-reactive protein (CRP) and calcium (Ca) levels). Version 2. F1000Res. 2021 Feb 1 [revised 2022 Jan 1];10:56. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.28028.2. eCollection 2021.

Helpful Links

• Elevated salivary C-reactive protein levels are associated with active and passive smoking in healthy youth: A pilot study

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 17, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 17, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): October 17, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 9, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 15, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): December 17, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 17, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 15, 2020
• Last Verified: December 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: bubble tea; salivary C-reactive protein; salivary calcium
• Other Study ID Numbers: FKGUGM1

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: Yes