The Effect of Adding Coconut Oil on Candida albicans Activity and Shear Bond Strength of Acrylic Based Denture Soft Lining Material
Author(s): Bushra M Alamen, Ghassan Abdul-Hamid Naji
Abstract
One of the most serious problems of soft denture lining materials during usage is the accumulation of microorganisms. This problem is presented as denture induced stomatitis, which caused by the fungal growth especially Candida albicans. Hence, the development of soft lining material with a drug delivery system becomes necessary.
Aim: The aim of the current study is to investigate the antifungal efficiency of various concentrations of virgin coconut oil incorporated into heat-cured soft denture liner against Candida albicans. And also to evaluate the shear bond strength to the denture base after this addition. Both investigations were assessed at different time intervals.
Material and Method: One hundred eighty samples were prepared by addition of 1.5% and 2.5% (by volume) of virgin coconut oil into heat cured acrylic-based soft denture lining material. The main study samples were divided into two groups (90 samples for each group) based on the conducted test; Candida albicans activity test and shear bond strength test. Then each group was subdivided into three subgroups (control 0%, 1.5% and 2.5%) based on the concentration of the added virgin coconut oil (n=10 samples for each subgroup). Each group was assessed at different periods of time (24 hours in distilled water, 2 and 4 weeks in artificial saliva), ten samples were used for each time interval. Fourier transform infrared analysis was conducted to determine if there is any chemical reaction between coconut oil and soft lining material.
Results: For Candida albicans activity test; the incorporation of 1.5% and 2.5% virgin coconut oil caused a highly significant decrease in the mean values of the viable count of Candida albicans when compared to the control group (p<0.01). In contrast, a gradual (non-significant) increase in the viable counts was obtained as the time interval increased. There was a nonsignificant reduction in shear bond strength values for 1.5% group whilst a significant reduction for 2.5% group compared to the control group. In variance, each experimental group showed a non-significant increase in the bond strength as the time interval increase.
Conclusion: Virgin coconut oil was successfully incorporated into the soft denture liner and act as a potential antifungal medicament with a continuous drug-delivery system against Candida albicans. It seemed that adding 1.5% coconut oil was the most beneficial effects against fungi, with less adverse effect on the shear bond strength.
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