Effect of denture adhesive and its forms on microbial colonization in diabetic and nondiabetic complete denture wearers: An in vivo study

Abstract

Problem: Denture adhesives are known to enhance the retention and stability in denture wearers, especially in patients with resorbed ridges. However, dentists hesitate to prescribe them fearing denture adhesive-induced oral microbial infections or hyperplasia in the oral cavity. Aim: The aim of this was to evaluate and compare the effect of denture adhesives and its forms on the microbial colonization of diabetic and nondiabetic edentulous patients using complete dentures. Methodology: Forty subjects were included in the study (Group A: 20 diabetics and Group B: 20 nondiabetics). After 2 weeks of complete denture insertion, samples were collected from the hard palate and buccal shelf areas for baseline microbiological analysis. Colony forming unit (CFU) counts were calculated on blood agar after 48 h of incubation. Ten subjects per group were prescribed with denture adhesive powder form and other 10 subjects with paste form, which was used for 1 month. After 1 month, subjects were recalled and CFU were evaluated. Results: The difference obtained between the CFU counts for T0 and T1 of both the groups; Group A and Group B showed no significant difference. As shown by the dependent t -test, there was a slight increase in the CFU counts of palatal area as compared to the buccal shelf area and increased counts for the paste form of denture adhesive as compared to the powder form of denture adhesive. However, these differences were statistically insignificant ( P > 0.05). Conclusions: Microbial colonization of diabetic patients was far more than the nondiabetic patients. Denture adhesives had no effect on the microbial colonization when used for 1 month for both the groups. Furthermore, the microbial colonies were found to be slightly increased for hard palate and for the paste form of denture adhesive, however, statistically not significant.