Cytological changes in oral mucosa in denture stomatitis

The cytological patterns associated with the atrophic and hyperplastic forms of denture stomatitis (DS) were studied in 94 patients with DS and 33 controls. Forty percent of patients with DS and 30% of patients in the control group had a positive culture for Candida. When compared to the smears from the control group patients, the smears from patients with DS presented a higher amount of: i) cytological cellular material; ii) fungal cells; iii) cells of the intermediate and parabasal types; iv) cells of the intermediate type with a positive culture for Candida; and v) polymorphonuclear leukocytes, preferentially in association with a positive culture for Candida. Conversely, smears from the control group showed a higher percentage of cells of the superficial type than those of the patients with DS. Although no specific changes in the DS-affected mucosa have been observed by cytology, we consider that this is a useful, easy and inexpensive technique that gives important information about the inflamed mucosa it can be used in the treatment and control of these patients.