Relationship between salivary flow rates and Candida albicans counts

Seventy-one persons (48 women, 23 men; mean age, 51.76 years) were evaluated for salivary flow rates and Candida albicans counts.Each person was seen on three different occasions.Samples of unstimulated whole, chewing-stimulated whole, acid-stimulated parotid, and candy-stimulated parotid saliva were collected under standardized conditions.An oral rinse was also obtained and evaluated for Candida albicans counts.Unstimulated and chewing-stimulated whole flow rates were negatively and significantly (p < 0.001) related to the Candida counts.Unstimulated whole saliva significantly (p < 0.05) differed in persons with Candida counts of 0 versus <500 versus ---500.Chewing-stimulated saliva was significantly (p < 0.05) different in persons with 0 counts compared with those with a ->500 count.Differences in stimulated parotid flow rates were not significant among different levels of Candida counts.The results of this study reveal that whole saliva is a better predictor than parotid saliva in identification of persons with high Candida albicans counts.(ORAt SURG ORAL MEO ORAL PATHOL ORAL RADIOL ENDOD 1995;80:284-8) Candidiasis is an opportunistic fungal infection most c o m m o n l y caused by the Candida species, Candida albicans.1 A p p r o x i m a t e l y 60% of healthy adults and 45% to 65% of healthy children m a y harbor commensal candidal microorganisms without demonstrating any clinical signs or symptoms of mucosal disease.Z, 3 Under a variety of pathologic conditions, Candida can proliferate in the mouth and produce oral This study was supported in part by NIH NCRR---01224-00040 (CAP Award).Part of this article was presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Oral Medicine in 1992.