Oral Thrush and Dental Stomatitis: Preliminary Research to Determine if Silver Nanoparticles in Mouthwash and Dentures Might Stop These Infections
In a 2012 study published in Letters in Applied Microbiology, Professor Henriques and her team looked at the use of different sizes of silver nanoparticles to determine their anti-fungal properties against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata.
These two yeasts cause infections including oral thrush and dental stomatitis, a painful infection affecting around seven out of ten denture wearers. Infections like these are particularly difficult to treat because the microorganisms involved form biofilms. Professor Henriques comments: “With the emergence of Candida infections which are frequently resistant to the traditional antifungal therapies, there is an increasing need for alternative approaches. So, silver nanoparticles appear to be a new potential strategy to combat these infections. As the nanoparticles are relatively stable in liquid medium they could be developed into a mouthwash solution in the near future.”
