A Comparison of Candida Colonization in the Oral Cavity of Removeable Denture Wearers and Individuals with Natural Teeth: A Short Report

Candida species are an important component of the resident microbial ecology of the oral cavity and are associated with various forms of oral candidosis when appropriate predisposing factors exist. Removable denture wearing is recognized as a predisposing factor for oral colonization by Candida species. The purpose of this study was to compare the colonization of different Candida species in the oral cavity of denture wearers and subjects with natural teeth. In this cross sectional study, conducted in 2009, we compared oral candida flora in 84 subjects who had worn complete removable dentures and 96 subjects with natural teeth referred to Imam Khomeini hospital in Tehran were compared. All samples were obtained from oral cavity by swab and cultured on CHOROM agar Candida. All isolated colonies were also cultured on cornmeal agar medium and non-albicans species were identified by using RapID Yeast Plus System. The statistical analysis was performed using t-test and Poisson test. In this study 76.2% (n=64) of subjects with removable denture and 47.9% (n=46) of subjects natural teeth were colonized by candida species in the oral cavity (p=0.001). The most common isolated species were candida albicans and non-albicans species were C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. tropicalis and C. kefyr in the two groups. The differences between oral candida albicans colonization in denture wearers (64.3% or 54 subjects) and subjects whit natural teeth(39.6% or 38 subjects) were statistically significant (p=0.001). Removable denture wearing can lead to an increase in the oral colonization by Candida species. Therefore, oral cavity may become a source for opportunistic infections.