Predominant cultivable microflora of plaque on removable dentures in patients with denture‐induced stomatitis

Abstract

Plaque from the fitting surface of upper full dentures in 8 patients with denture‐induced stomatitis was sampled with curettes for study. To characterize the predominant cultivable flora, 1249 isolates (138–196 from each sample) were sub‐cultured from anaerobic roll tubes. Streptococci constituted 17–76% of the isolates in each sample (median 29%) and were identified as S. mitior, S. milleri, S. mutans, S. salivarius , and S. sanguis. Staphylococci (mainly S. aureus ) made up 2–15%, median 6%. Gram‐positive rods constituted 5–72% (median 45%), mainly Lactobacillus spp. (0–72%, median 19%) and Actinomyces spp. (0–43%, median 9%). Gram‐negative cocci made up 0–28% (median 15%) and Gram‐negative rods only 0–1.8% (median 0%). Yeast viable counts on Sabouraud agar corresponded to 0–1.7% (median 0.27%) of the total viable counts. Stomatitis‐inducing denture plaque has a similar complex and variable, mainly Gram‐positive, bacterial flora as that of denture plaque in subjects with healthy oral mucosa. Yeasts and lactobacilli are, however, in greater evidence in stomatitis.