Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in the oral cavity of middle-aged and elderly dental patients with dentures.
Methods: In this study, 47 patients (20 men and 27 women), aged from 50 to 78 years, were randomly selected from the patients in the Department of Prosthodontics, Aichi-Gakuin University Affiliated Dental Hospital. Oral squamous cells were collected from swabs of the buccal mucosa. For this procedure, informed consent was obtained. Extracted DNA was evaluated for HPV infections by PCR methods, using consensus and specific primers, and direct DNA sequencing analysis.
Results: Twenty-four of 47 specimens (51.1%) were positive for HPV DNA. A statistically significant association was not found in the HPV positivity between men and women. The high rate of infection was recognized from 60 or more years old. A statistically significant association wasfound in the HPV positivity between non-denture wearers and denture wearers. Frequent HPV types in the specimens of all were HPV 11, 4 and 16. Frequent HPV types in the specimens of non-denture wearers and denture wearers were HPV 4, 11 and HPV 11, 16 and 4, respectively.
Conclusions: The results of the present investigation indicate that HPV is present in the oral cavity, especially those of denture wearers, of middle-aged and elderly patients. It is suggested, therefore, that the oral cavity of middle-aged and elderly patients with dentures is a reservoir of HPVs where later HPV-associated diseases, such as oral cancer and other oral lesions, may develop.
