Evaluation of the relationship between nitric oxide and candida albicans-associated denture stomatitis: A cross-sectional study

Candida albicans [C. Albicans] is an opportunistic microorganism of the normal flora that can cause infection in the oral mucosa. Nitric oxide [NO] is a free radical produced by macrophages and is highly associated with antifungal activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate salivary nitric oxide levels in patients with and without Candida Albicans-associated denture stomatitis.

In this cross-sectional study, 40 edentulous patients using dentures were divided into two groups: patients with and without denture stomatitis [DS]. Before laboratory detection of candida, an oral medicine specialist clinically confirmed the presence of DS. Saliva samples were collected by spitting method, and the Griess method measured NO. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests were used for statistical analysis. The level of significance was considered 0.05.

The present study showed that the NO level was significantly higher in patients with DS than in patients without DS (P-value=0.002). In this study, the mean NO level in patients with DS was 166.5485±43.538 μM, while that was 118.0585±47.617 μM for patients without DS.

NO concentration in patients’ saliva can be associated with C. Albicans infection in the oral cavity. In the presence of Candida, the level of NO increases, and it seems that this increase is a kind of defense response to the presence of fungal infections.