Aims: To evaluate the ability of commercial denture cleanser on decreasing Candida albicans biofilm and comparing this with microwave sterilization technique on heat cured acrylic resin denture base material which was cured by two different techniques. Materials and Methods: thirty two samples of heat cured acrylic resin denture base material had been used, half of them was cured by conventional water bath technique, and the other half by microwave technique. A simple method to measure Candida biofilm activity using pH change of Stomastat. Modified Sabouraud broth developed and used to evaluate the efficacy of the following denture cleansers: Chlorhexidine 0.2% and sodium hypochlorite 0.5%, and microwave sterilization on Candida albicans biofilm. The initial number of yeasts inoculated was correlated with pH value of Stomastat after 24 hours incubation period. Results: The acrylic resin samples that cured by conventional water bath technique were most effectively disinfected by chlorhexidine 0.2%. This demonstrated by increasing the pH value of Stomastat significantly than the control group. The same result was obtained with those samples which were cured by microwave oven. The initial number of Candida albicans cells in Stomastat was significantly decreased than the control group after treatment of acrylic samples with denture cleansers and microwave sterilization technique, while for those samples that cured by microwave technique the least number was obtained after treatment with chlorhexidine 0.2%. Conclusion: Both of chlorhexidine 0.2% and sodium hypochlorite 0.5% and microwave technique had the ability to disinfect acrylic samples that cured by water bath and microwave techniques effectively. However, chlorhexidine 0.2% was the most effective one.

Aims: To measure candidal biofilm activity using pH changes of stomastat, to evaluate the effect of different types of curcumine solution on Candida albicans biofilm that attached on acrylic resin denture base material (A.R.D.B.M.) and the correlation of initial number of yeasts inoculated with the pH value of stomastat after 24 hours incubation period. Materials and Methods: In general, the number of acrylic resin samples that had been used in this study was 20 samples. Curcumine solution had been dissolved in three different solvents, those were ethanol, viscous (glycerine), and sterile distilled water, while cholrhexidine (CHX) alone used as a control negative and distilled water used as a control positive. The diameter of inhibition zone for the different curcumine solution had been measured and compared with control (-ve, and +ve); the biofilm activity of Candida albicans on A.R.D.B.M. was measured by a new method using pH change of stomastat. Results: Demonstrated that the ability of curcumine solution to decrease fungal biofilm activity on A.R.D.B.M varied depending upon the type of solvent in which the solution had been dissolved, and ethanolic solution (50%) was the most effective in reducing biofilm activity of C. albicans on A.R.D.B.M. when compared with CHX solution which is the most commercially used solution as denture cleanser. Conclusion: The ethanolic solution of Curcumine can be used in prosthetic dentistry as a new denture cleansing agent.

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Enterococci are usually encountered and predominate in oral infections, especially those associated with dental root canal infections of necrotic pulp and periodontitis. This study aimed to detect and identify Enterococcus faecium isolated from infected root canals, using polymerase chain reaction ( PCR). Thirty samples were collected from patients with  necrotic pulp, infected root canals, and endodontic treatment failure, attending the Conservative Treatment Department, College of Dentistry, Mosul University, Dental Teaching Hospital. The samples were obtained by inserting sterile paper points into the root canals and transferred in brain heart infusion broth vials to be  inoculated in a selective M-Enterococcus Agar Base . Twenty five isolates that belong to the genus Enterococcus were   recognized by traditional culture methods and biochemical tests. Then, DNA extractions of these isolates were carried out for  identification  with PCR by the amplification of ddI (D-Ala-D-Ala Ligase) chromosomal genes of Enterococcus faecium. Among the 25  isolates, twenty (80%) were identified to the level of Enterococcus faecium by traditional culture methods and biochemical tests, in comparison to 17 (68%) identified by  molecular identification. The PCR products for the specific primer produced bands on agarose gel at the position of 658bp. The study showed that the use of PCR with primers for the E. faecium ddI gene may be the most accurate method for rapid identification of Enterococci. Molecular identification of Enterococcus spp. revealed a significant role of E. feacium in root canal infections. Also, the detection of ddI gene  using PCR provides a definitive target that could be used for the detection of E. faecium  from clinical samples.

Aims: Assessment of Candida albicans adherence to flexible denture base material (Valplast) and conventional heat polymerized acrylic resin in the presence and absence of saliva. Materials and Methods: A total of 28 square specimens (10 mm x10 mm x3mm) were constructed from Valplast and acrylic denture base materials according to manufacturers' instructions and kept without finishing or polishing. C. albicans was isolated from patients with denture stomatitis. Fourteen specimens (7 of each material) were not coated with human saliva (control), deposited in yeast suspension (10 7 ) yeast cells/ml, incubated for 1hr at room temperature and washed with phosphate buffer saline and then stained with crystal violet. The remaining 14 specimens (7 of each material) were coated with saliva and treated as previously described. Adherent yeast cells in 84 fields of view (0.25mm 2 /field) of materials were enumerated. The results were expressed as yeast cells/mm 2 of material. Results: In comparison between the two denture base materials, Candida adherence to acrylic resin (170 yeast cells/mm 2 ) is greater than Valplast (126 yeast cells/mm 2 ). Both saliva uncoated and coated acrylic samples have higher means of Candida adherence (208, 132 cells/mm 2 ) than saliva uncoated and coated Valplast samples (175, 77 cells/mm 2 ) respectively. High significant reduction in yeast counts was seen in both materials after saliva coating. Conclusions: Great reductions in yeast counts were determined in Valplast material specially in saliva coated specimens when compared with acrylic resin. Key Words: Candida albicans adherence, flexible denture base material, Valplast Ahmad ZM, Mustafa EA, Jawad IA. Adherence of Candida albicans to Flexible Denture Base Material. Al-Rafidain Dent J. 2012;12(2): 229-235.