Factors Associated with Detection of Oral Candida in Older Dental Patients：Second Report

Abstract

Candida species in the oral cavity usually show little pathogenesis but cause oral candidosis as an opportunistic infection because of a weakening of host immune defences. Therefore it is important to investigate the factors related to Candida in the elderly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the detection of Candida in the oral cavity and several factors associated with oral health in frail or dependent elderly. The subjects were 396 patients (126 men and 270 women) aged 70 years and over (mean age：81.5±6.9 years) who underwent general dental treatment or domiciliary dental care. A swab was taken from the buccal mucosa of the subjects and then transferred into a simplified culture for Candida (Stomastat^®). After incubation for 24 h at 37℃, the detection of Candida was assessed based on the color of the culture and classified into three categories：negative, pseudo-positive and positive. The influence of some factors associated with oral health such as subjectsʼ age, gender, residence, oral status, walking ability, and systemic diseases were investigated. The detection of Candida was significantly related to utilization of institution, poor oral hygiene, wearing dentures, less present teeth, difficulty in walking, and presence of dementia or other systemic diseases, whereas age and gender were not associated with Candida. Logistic regression analysis indicated that significant factors affecting the detection of Candida were poor oral hygiene and reduced walking ability; however, wearing dentures and systemic diseases including dementia showed no association with Candida.