Oko Mama Culture Betel Nut Consuming Habit in Kupang District and its Effect toward Salivary Ph and Flow Rate

Abstract

Public health always associated to culture and lifestyle. Lifestyle itself constitutes a concept that commonly used to define “The way people live”, reflecting the whole social value, attitude, and activity. One of long term culture that become personal habit is chewing betel nut. Oko Mama culture is the local culture of the Timorese tribe who consider it as the symbol of philosophy, dignity, enjoyment, beauty, also as a means of communication in society, political means, and delaying hunger. Several studies revealed several unbeneficial of chewing betel nut, such as acute betel nut toxicity, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disorder, and congenital defect. Besides, betel nut may also alter oral health. This study is aiming to analyse the correlation of habitual chewing betel nut toward salivary pH and flow rate. This was an observational analytic study, by means of cross sectional design involving both on male and female aging 17–50 years old in 4 sub district, consisting of 2 remote areas and 2 urban areas. The correlation between variables was analysed using path analysis by means of Smart PLS 3.2.7. The analysis revealed a positive correlation between Oko Mama culture toward behaviour (p=0.316) and intention (p= 0.454), also a negative correlation between the culture toward oral hygiene knowledge (p=-0.185) and the effect of chewing betel nut knowledge (p=0.111). A positive correlation also recorded toward perceived norm (p=0.931). While intention had a positive correlation toward behaviour (p=0.429). Regarding oral health, chewing betel nut had negative effect toward salivary pH (p=-0.167) and salivary flow rate (p=-0.210).