Effect of dental treatment and/or local application of amphotericin B to carious teeth on oral colonization by Candida

Microbiological analyses of saliva and swabs were obtained from carious les ions of 54 children and adolescents with carious teeth, and of 49 boys and girls with healthy teeth. Candida species were isolated from the saliva of 36 (66.7%) subjects with active caries, but from the saliva of only one (2% ) of the 49 caries-free subjects. Candida was detected in material removed from the carious lesion in 44 (81.5%) of the children with caries. Thirty p atients with carious teeth and colonized by Candida were randomly divided i nto three groups of 10 individuals each, and either treated by complete den tal restoration, by local application of amphotericin B or by a combination of dental treatment plus amphotericin B. The final microbiological control showed that thorough dental treatment alone eliminated fungi from the oral cavity in 90% of cases, whereas the local application of amphotericin B al one had a minimal effect on the candidal colonization of carious lesions. W hen, in addition to dental treatment, amphotericin B was applied, fungi wer e completely eliminated from the oral cavity of all subjects.