Denture sore mouth. Aetiological aspects and treatment.

Seventy-four patients wearing full upper and lower dentures were examined in the study; 37 exhibited varying degrees of denture sore mouth (DSM) while the remaining 37 patients acted as controls. Denture trauma was more common in the DSM group. Candida was grown from 73 per cent of patients with DSM but only from 22 per cent of controls. Control patients had better denture hygiene than DSM patients. One year later 22 of the original DSM patients wearing newly made dentures were re-examined. Nine out of 22 still exhibited varying degrees of DSM. In the 9 cases persisting, a nystatin-chlorhexidine treatment plan was prescribed, resulting in resolution of 7 further cases. The cases that failed resolve were wearing unstable traumatogenic new dentures.