title: Candida albicans in patients with oronasal communication and obturator prostheses.
abstract: Patients using obturator prostheses often present denture-induced stomatitis. In order to detect the presence of oral Candida albicans in patients with oronasal communications and to evaluate the effectiveness of a topical antifungal treatment, cytological smears obtained from the buccal and palatal mucosa of 10 adult patients, and from the nasal acrylic surface of their obturator prostheses were examined. A therapeutic protocol comprising the use of oral nystatin (Mycostatin) and prosthesis disinfection with sodium hypochlorite was prescribed for all patients. Seven patients were positive for C. albicans in the mucosa, with 1 negative result for the prosthetic surface in this group of patients. Post-treatment evaluation revealed the absence of C. albicans on prosthesis surface and on the oral mucosa of all patients. The severity of the candidal infection was significantly higher in the palatal mucosa than in the buccal mucosa, but similar in the palatal mucosa and prosthesis surface, indicating that the mucosa underlying the prosthesis is more susceptible to infection. The therapeutic protocol was effective in all cases, which emphasizes the need for denture disinfection in order to avoid reinfection of the mucosa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Traumatology and Prosthodontics, Dental School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. bscmatto@usp.br
authors.forename: Beatriz Silva Câmara
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Mattos
authors.forename: Andréa Alves de
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Marina Helena C G de
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: André
authors.forename: Reinaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brito E Dias
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016155:Oral Fistula / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D010158:Palatal Obturators / Q000382:microbiology*; D055815:Young Adult