PERBANDINGAN EFEKTIFITAS BERKUMUR AIR REBUSAN TEH HIJAU (Camellia sinensis) dan DAUN BELUNTAS (Pluchea indica) TERHADAP PENURUNAN HALITOSIS

Introduction: Halitosis is to describe a sign of bad breath when the breath is exhaled. Halitosis is also called the fetor ex ore, fetor oris, or oral malodor. Volatile Sulfur Compound (VSC) is a gas compound which is most responsible for the present of halitosis. VSC is a result of the anaerobic bacteria production activity. The green tea been known by the people of Indonesia as an ingredient for making beverages. Tea leaves contains 30-40% polyphenols known as catechins. Beluntas leaves is one of the shrubs that are traditionally used as a material for eliminating body odor and bad breath, lowering body heat, appetite enhancer, cough medicine, laxative sweat, and diarrhea. Methods: The method used is a quasi-experimental study in which subject study are 50 people, divided into two groups: 25 people gargle green tea using boiling water and 25 people gargle with water decoction of the leaves beluntas. Measuring the level of halitosis in all samples taken before and after treatment. Results: The results showed that there were significant differences between the two treatment groups, ie sig. 0.025 < 0.05. Conclusion: The conclusion is to rinse with boiled water of green tea is more effective to reduce halitosis compared with water gargle decoction of the leaves beluntas.