Assessment of Denture’s Continuous Wearing as a Factor Predisposing to Chronic Atrophic Candidiasis in a Sample of Lebanese Denture Wearers: A Clinico-microbiological Study

Background: Chronic atrophic candidiasis (CAC), commonly referred to as denture stomatitis, is the most prevalent multifactorial, chronic inflammatory oral condition amongst denture wearers. Denture’s continuous wearing is considered a risk factor predisposing to CAC. The aim of this study was to evaluate this factor and its relationship with the occurrence of CAC in a Lebanese population. Material and Methods: Two hundred ninety (161 women, 129 men; age range 40-80 years) were selected for this study. Swab samples from the palate and the palatal surfaces of the upper dentures of these patients were collected and examined mycologically. Denture’s continuous wearing and colonization by Candida albicans were evaluated. Results: In this sample of 290 patients, 85 (29.31%) wear their dentures continuously and 170 (58.62%) exhibited clinically and microbiologically CAC. With respect to the patient’s age, 41 out of the 65 patients (63.07%) aged between 40 and 60 years showed CAC against 129 (57.33%) who are older than 60. Conclusion: This study supports previous findings that denture continuous use of denture is a significant factor that contributes to CAC.