Candidal Count in Patients with Complete Dental Prostheses

The aim of the analysis was to compare the candidal count at the time of insertion and after one month of wearing complete dentures. It was a quasi-experimental study which was carried out at Department of Prosthodontics, Lahore Medical and Dental College. Study group consisted of forty edentulous patients with no previous denture history. They obtained new complete dentures. Samples were taken using the oral rinse technique and cultured on sabouraud agar. Candidal colonies were detected and counted as colony forming units at the time of insertion and after one month of wearing complete dentures. To confirm presence of candida gram staining and germ tube test were also carried out. Change in candidal count was significantly higher after one month of wearing complete dentures (p=0.0001). Difference in candidal count was significantly higher in females than males. Candidal count was significant after wearing complete dentures and this should be considered as an important factor that can pre-dispose the patients to candida induced denture stomatitis.