title: Isolation of Candida species from the oral cavity and fingertips of complete denture wearers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Wearing a dental prosthesis is known to increase oral candidal colonization and predispose the wearer to oral candidosis. Denture wearers frequently use fingers to take the prosthesis out of their mouth. Oral Candida, if present may contaminate wearer's finger. The objective of this study was to investigate the simultaneous candidal colonization of oral cavity and fingertips of complete denture wearers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 25 apparently healthy male subjects who had worn complete dentures for at least 1 year were selected. Information about each patient's denture age, denture hygiene, handling, and wearing habits, and hand washing habits after denture handling were be obtained. Intraoral examination of all the patients was done. For microbiological examination samples were collected from the fingertip and oral rinse of each patient. Candida species were identified with use of germ tube test and commercially available yeast identification system. Data was statistically analyzed. Significance was set at p < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that frequency of hand washing, denture handling and denture stomatitis with respect to fingertip candidal isolation was not statistically significant. But poor denture hygiene and denture stomatitis with respect to oral candidal colonization was statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Denture wearers with oral Candida had a higher prevalence of Candida contamination on their fingers. Patients with removable prostheses should be informed about the importance of proper prosthesis and personal hygiene and the possibility of microbial contamination of the hands and other parts of the body.
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Prosthodontics, ACPM Dental College and Hospital Dhule-424001, Maharashtra, India, Phone: 9595833155 e-mail: drsurinagaral@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagaral
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, PMNM Dental College Bagalkot, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Raviraj G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Prosthodontics, PMNM Dental College Bagalkot, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Vikas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kamble
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Prosthodontics, Mahsarovar Dental College Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Anand Kumar G
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Patil
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002175:Candida / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D041022:Candida tropicalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000382:microbiology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D003824:Denture, Complete / Q000382:microbiology*; D004923:Erythrosine; D005385:Fingers / Q000382:microbiology*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D013282:Stomatitis, Denture / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D004923:Erythrosine
keywords: Candida; Denture stomatitis; Denture wearer. How to cite this article: Nagaral S; Desai RG; Kamble V; Patil AKG. Isolation of Candida Species from the Oral Cavity and Fingertips of Complete Denture Wearers. J Contemp Dent Pract 2014;15(6):712-716. Source of support: Nil Conflict of interest: None declared.