Antifungal Activity of Denture Cleansers: a Comparative Study

The objective of current study was to compare the efficacy of denture cleansers and to find out the most efficacious denture cleanser against Candida. This randomized control trial study with sample size eighty was conducted at Prosthodontic Department de,Montmorency College of Dentistry, Lahore, Microbiological test were performed at PGMI Lahore from Febuary 2003 to October 2003. Patients who were regularly wearing their dentures without any occlusal disharmony for more than six months were included. Group A, B, C, and D of dentures were used to determine the effect of “Sno Wite” (4% sodium hypochlorite), “Klinzar” (effervescent tablet of sodium metaborate), “Lacer Chlorhexidine” (0.12% Chlorhexidine), and plain water (control) respectively on Candida. Sabouraud’s dextrose agar (Laboratorios Britania S.A. Los Patos, Argentina) was used as a culture medium. Germ tube test was performed to identify Candida albicans. Where sodium hypochlorite was added Candida CFUs were found in non of the cases, no gram negative rods or gram positive streptococci were seen. With sodium metaborate only in one case of candida CFUs (5%) were detected, with chlorhexidine also in one case of CFUs (5%) were detected. While with distilled water as a control group 13 cases with candida (65%) has been detected. It was concluded that denture cleansers are more effective than the plain water (control) and sodium hypochloride is more effective denture cleaners as compared to sodium metaborate and 0.12% chlorhexidine. Original article