In vitro antifungal activity against oral candida species using a denture base coated with silver nanoparticles

Although oral Candida easily adheres to denture base materials, many denture detergents are effective only against bacteria but not against Candida. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), which are known to have potent antibacterial and antifungal activity, have been used in the prevention of oral candidiasis (OC). We evaluated the adherence of Candida albicans and Candida glabrata on a heat-cured Acron resin piece supported by AgNPs by low-vacuum scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and measuring colony-forming units. C. albicans and C. glabrata increasingly adhered to the resin surface of the control piece over time, but the adhesion AgNP of both Candida species to the AgNP-coated surface was significantly inhibited (P < 0.001). Low-vacuum SEM revealed that C. albicans and C. glabrata on the resin surface of control pieces appeared as oval colonies, with a major axis of 3-4 μm and a smooth cell wall, but those on the AgNP-coated resin surface were less abundant than the control and showed swollen yeast features, with a major axis of more than 5 μm and a corrugated cell wall. Our results suggest a way to prevent denture-associated OC by using denture base materials processed by AgNPs.