Identification of oral bacteria in patients with dentulous, partially edentulous and edentulous: A comparative study.

Objective: Aim: To investigate distribution of oral bacteria among dentulous, partially edentulous, and edentulous patients while examining influence of age and gender on these conditions. It was designed to identify the prevalence of specific bacterial species in the oral cavity and their association with different dental statuses.

Patients and methods: Materials and Methods: Samples were taken by rinse the mouth of 66 subjects divided into 3 groups: Dentulous n=49, Edentulous n=43, Partially Edentulous n=58. Ten types of bacteria were analyzed using gram staining and biochemical tests.

Results: Results: Staphylococcus aureus is most prevalent in the edentulous group, accounting for 27.91%, compared to 15.52% in the Partially Edentulous and 10.20% in the dentulous group. This suggests a possible increase in its presence with tooth loss. Staphylococcus albicans and Streptococcus are more common in the Dentulous and Partially Edentulous groups, with the dentulous group having the highest percentage of Staphylococcus albus at 22.45%. Diplococcus pneumoniae shows an increased frequency in the edentulous group 16.28% compared to the other groups, which may indicate a higher risk of pneumonia-related bacteria in patients without teeth. There was a significant association between age and tooth loss. Gender did not show any relationship neither to tooth loss nor to oral cavity bacteria.

Conclusion: Conclusions: Edentulism was most prevalent in individuals aged 50 years and older, emphasizing the role of aging in tooth loss. No significant gender differences were observed, indicating equal impact on males and females. Certain bacteria, like Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus, were more common in edentulous patients.