Relationship between dental practice and oral candidal carriage

Relationship between dental practice and oral candidal carriage Dr. M. Motalebnejad* - Dr. S.A.A Sefidgar** - Dr. SH. Jafari*** - Dr. M. Mirzaie**** - Dr. F. Hamidi***** *- Assistant Professor of Diagnosis & Oral Medicine Dept. - Faculty of Dentistry – Babol University of Medical Sciences. **- Assistant Professor of Mycology Dept. - Faculty of Dentistry – Babol University of Medical Sciences. ***- Associate Professor of Diagnosis & Oral Medicine Dept. - Faculty of Dentistry – Tehran University of Medical Sciences. ****- Mycologist. ***** - Dentist. Background and Aim: According to the close contact of dentists with oral cavity, it seems that they are exposed to different organisms such as fungi, especially Candida albicants. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the relationship between dental practice and oral candidial carriage. Materials and Methods: In this analytic cohort prospective study, two groups were participated: the case group (96 dental students with negative oral candidal culture) and the control group (96 non-medical students with negative oral candidal culture). Sampling was done from dorsal surface of tongue in two distinct episodesat a two – year interval. Results were analyzed through chi – square test, fisher exact test and SPSS software. Results: The case group with the mean age of 19.9 years included 64 (66.6%) females and 32 (3.3%) males. The control group with the mean age of 19.8 years included 65 (67.70%) females and 31 (32.29%) males. The incidence rate of oral candidal carriage, in the second sampling, was significantly higher among dental students comparing to the non-dental ones (P=0.04). Odds ratio for candidal contamination in dental students was 2.85 times more than non-medical students. Moreover, no relation was found between sex and oral candidal carriage in both groups. Conclusion: Dental practice may be a risk factor for oral candidal carriage. Key words: Candida albicans – Dental practice – Oral carriage.