OBJECTIVE

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the microbial loads and pathogenicity traits of oral in denture-wearing (DW; = 15) and nondenture-wearing (NDW; = 15) elderly persons.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The fungal counts of the saliva, tongue dorsa, and prosthesis-fitting surfaces of the participants were assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction to compare the quantity and expression of selected biofilm-associated genes (, , and ).

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

The obtained data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance, followed by Bartlett's test. When appropriate, the Student's -test was also used; a value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

In both groups, the count of was found to be significantly higher in saliva than in other oral samples. The expression of the hypha-specific genes ( and ) in the tongue dorsa was higher in the DW group ( < 0.05), whereas the transcription level of the yeast-specific gene ( was significantly higher in the NDW group.

CONCLUSION

Both tongue dorsa and dentures appear to be sharing factors that are important for biofilm growth in abiotic and biotic oral surfaces of the elderly.