THE OCCURRENCE OF CANDIDA SPP COLONISATION AND DENTURE RELATED STOMATITIS IN PATIENTS WEARING NEW DENTURES.

Objectives. The Candida related denture stomatitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the mucosa covered by the denture. The aim of the study is to evaluate the occurrence of Candida colonization and the eventual denture stomatitis, in totally edentulous patients after six and twelve months since the replacement of their dental prosthesis. Methods. Oral swabs were collected at time 0, time 1 and time 2 from palatal mucosa and tested for Candida species. Results. Out of 138 oral swabs at time 0 C. albicans were isolated in 80,70%, C. glabrata 8,77 %, and co-colonisation C. albicans/C. glabrata 7,01%. At time 1, oral swabs resulted positive were 27,53% : C. albicans were isolated in 50%, C. glabrata 23,68% and co-colonization C. albicans/C. glabrata in 26,31%. Among patients with positive oral swabs, we found denture-stomatitis in 25 patients. At time 2, oral swabs resulted positive were 68,11%: C. albicans 52,12%, C. glabrata 26,59% and co-colonization of C. albicans/C. glabrata 21,27% . Mucosal clinical examination showed signs related to denture stomatitis in 83 patients with oral swabs positive for Candida spp. Conclusion. C. albicans remains the main etiological agent accounting up to 80%, however C. glabrata has emerged as a pathogenic agent of the oral mucosa, either co-infecting with C. albicans. Our data highlight an association between Candida spp colonization and clinical features of DRS: patients who develop a C. albicans DRS tend to have a more severe compared to patients with C. glabrata DRS. The presence of a co-colonization with C. albicans and C. glabrata infection is associated with a more severe clinical form of DRS. The time factor also plays a role in respect of the mechanicalaction carried out by the same prosthesis pressure towards the oral epithelium and the possible role of this factor in altering the local immune balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]