The Function of Enzymes in Removing Candida Accumulated On Denture Plaque

The denture plaque that is a cause of denture stomatitis has Candida albicans to a great extent. The plaque accumulated should be removed in order to prevent infections related to Candida albicans. Since chemical denture cleansing agents have some inconveniences in application and are less effective, in recent years the use of enzyme containing cleansers has become popular. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of enzymes in removing C. albicans from the denture plaque. The plaque was accumulated on polymethyl-methacrylate plates by the strain of C. albicans and the effect of enzymes such as papain, trypsin and amylase were investigated by the cell-counting procedure. Papain, a proteolytic enzyme, was found to be effective (80%).