Differential diagnosis of denture-induced stomatitis, Candida, and their variations in patients using complete denture: a clinical and mycological study.

Denture-induced stomatitis usually occurs in persons who wear a complete or a partial denture. Among the many aetiological and predisposing factors, Candida spp. are believed to play an important role in the initiation and progression of the infection. Seventy cases who attended the clinics of the Dental Faculty, University of Atatürk, Turkey were investigated from the viewpoint of denture-induced stomatitis. After questioning the patients for their personal information, they were examined clinically and smears were obtained from lesions of the palatal mucosa and the contiguous denture surface by calcium aliginate swabs, and inoculated onto Sabouraud dextrose agar supplemented with 1% chloramphenicol, and CHROMagar Candida. Individual yeast species were identified by a germ tube test, development of blastospores, chlamydospores and pseudohyphae and assimilation tests employing the commercial kit API 20C AUX system. According to the results obtained, 70% of the cases had denture-induced stomatitis, and in 68% of them mycological culture results were positive. Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated fungus (68.75%). On the other hand, fungal growth was much more pronounced in the cultures made from the inner surface of the dentures. In conclusion, this study showed that candidal infections are not the predisposing factor in the occurrence of denture-induced stomatitis, but they play a major role, as also some other factors, especially those related with dentures.