The comparison of oral candida flora in smokers and non-smokers

Candida species are the most common yeasts that reside in oral cavity in 30 - 50% of people, and are capable to produce opportunistic infections within the oral cavity. This study was done to determine the effect of cigarette smoking on the type and degree of Candida oral carriage. In this case-control study, oral Candida flora in 34 smoker and 66 non-smoker men were compared. All of the samples were collected by swab and examined by direct microscopy and culture on CHOROM agar Candida and corn meal agar media. Isolated colonies were identified by carbohydrate assimilation method using RapID Yeast PLUS System. Out of the 34 smoker individuals, 27(79.4%) had Candida colonization in their oral cavity while 30(45.5%) of the 66 non-smoker individuals had developed this kind of colonization. A significant difference was observed between the two groups (p<0.05). Additionally, there was a significant difference in the degree of colonisation and the type of candida species which were isolated from the oral cavity of the smoker and nonsmoker groups. Cigarette smoking can act as an important underlying factor in oral candidiasis.