Effectiveness of two methods of denture sterilization

Area of Science:

• Oral Microbiology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Denture stomatitis is often caused by Candida species, particularly Candida albicans.
• Oral microorganisms like Streptococcus gordonii contribute to denture plaque, highlighting the importance of denture hygiene.
• Effective denture sterilization is crucial for preventing and treating oral infections associated with dentures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the in vitro efficacy of microwave irradiation and sodium hypochlorite soaks for denture sterilization.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of these methods against Candida albicans and Streptococcus gordonii.

Main Methods:

• Acrylic dentures were inoculated with Candida albicans or Streptococcus gordonii.
• One group of dentures underwent microwave irradiation at a specific setting (2450 MHz, 350 W for 6 minutes).
• Another group was soaked in sodium hypochlorite solutions (0.02% or 0.0125%) for 8 hours, with controls soaked in distilled water.

Main Results:

• Microwave irradiation rendered dentures sterile for both Candida albicans and Streptococcus gordonii within six minutes.
• Sodium hypochlorite effectively sterilized dentures infected with Candida albicans but not Streptococcus gordonii.
• Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed microbial damage from microwaving and revealed residual microorganisms on hypochlorite-treated dentures.

Conclusions:

• Microwave irradiation appears to be a more effective method for denture sterilization compared to sodium hypochlorite soaks.
• While hypochlorite reduces residual microorganisms, microwaving offers complete sterilization against the tested pathogens.
• Further investigation into optimal microwave parameters and long-term effects is warranted.