Individual and Synergistic Effects of Tea Tree Oil and Neem Extract on Candida albicans Adhesion to Denture Soft Liner

Background Inflammation is present in denture stomatitis. Denture stomatitis's etiology is complex, but there is evidence that it is brought on by Candida albicans growing in biofilms on its surface. Objective This study aimed to examine and assess the effectiveness of several herbal products, such as tea tree oil and neem extracts, on Candida albicans adhesion to denture soft liners. Method Each wall of the tissue culture plate was filled with 30 acrylic blocks lined with soft liners, followed by the addition of 0.1 ml of the standardized Candida albicans suspension, which was then left to incubate for 48 hours. Each specimen was placed in a disinfectant solution for 10 minutes. A colony was counted after 0.1ml of the solution was plated on a sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) plate and cultured for 72 hours. Data were compared using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. Results The mean colony forming units (CFU) per ml for combined tea tree oil and neem extract was least (0.40), followed by tea tree oil (2.30), followed by neem extract (30.33). The treated blocks were effective in reducing the growth of Candida albicans. Conclusion Combining tea tree oil and neem extract significantly reduced the growth of Candida albicans, suggesting a new form of intraoral effective antifungal treatment.