Natural defenses against candida colonization breakdown in the oral cavities of the elderly

Candida colonization of the oral cavity increases in the elderly. A major p redisposing condition is denture use, which also increases in the elderly. To test whether the increase in colonization is age-related in a fashion in dependent of denture use, we analyzed the frequency (incidence) of carriage , the intensity of carriage, the multiplicity of species, and the genetic r elatedness of strains in the oral cavities of 93 test subjects separated in to the three age groups: 60 to 69 yr, 70 to 79 yr, and 180 yr. Each age gro up was further subdivided into subjects with and without dentures, and into males and females. The results demonstrate that the frequency of carriage, the intensity of carriage, and multispecies carriage all increase as a fun ction of age and differ according to gender, in both cases independent of d enture use, suggesting that the natural suppression of yeast carriage in th e oral cavity breaks down in the elderly. In addition, it is demonstrated t hat Candida glabrata colonizes the oral cavities of elderly individuals wit hout dentures only after 80 yr of age, suggesting that there are age-relate d compromising conditions other than denture use in this most elderly age g roup.