ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the correlation between the changes in oral microflora and recurrent oral ulcers (ROU).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Salivary sample were collected from ROU patients with oral ulcers (group T) and those with ulcer healing (group C) as well as from ROU-free individuals (group N). The quantity of 3 common bacteria (Streptococcus sp., Veillonella sp., and Neisseria sp.) in the salivary samples was detected and compared between the 3 groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The quantities of Streptococcus sp. (7.30-/+0.89 copies/ml) and Veillonella sp. (8.29-/+0.77 copies/ml) in group T were significantly lower than those in group N (8.15-/+0.55 and 8.93-/+0.76 copies/ml, respectively, P<0.01), but similar with those in group C. The quantity of Streptococcus sp. (7.51-/+0.81 copies/ml) in group C was significantly lower than that in group N (8.15-/+0.55 copies/ml, P<0.01), but the quantity of Veillonella sp. was similar between the two groups. No significant difference were found in the quantity of Neisseria sp. between the 3 groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The quantity of oral microflora differs significantly between patients with recurrent oral ulcers and normal individuals, suggesting a possible correlation between oral microfora and recurrent oral ulcers.</p>