Yeast colonization of the oral cavity in a young population

Oral cavity is an environment where several kinds of fungi are frequently found. C. albicans is the most commonly isolated specie. Candida spp., besides being part of the oral mucosa in healthy individuals, constitutes an important group of opportunistic pathogenic fungi. When there is a change on oral cavity environment microorganisms excessive growth can occur, resulting in oral candidiasis. To characterize mycological oral flora in a sample of students from School of Allied Health Technologies and to study the influence of some factors in oral colonization, such as orthodontic appliances, oral hygiene, smoking habits and diabetes.