Background:
More than 700 bacterial species make up the oral microbiota inhabiting the oral cavity which consists of many microenvironments.

Aim:
To determine whether the sublingual cultivable microbiota differs in patients with edentulous areas.

Material and methods:
The study group comprised 60 patients with partial or complete edentulism, divided into two subgroups differing in the level of oral hygiene, and 30 patients with complete dentition as the control group. Each patient underwent an initial qualification that consisted of a general medical and dental interview covering systemic diseases, current medications and oral hygiene habits, followed by a clinical examination. A sample was taken from the floor of the mouth with a sterile swab with Amies medium with charcoal. In subjects using removable dentures a second sample was taken from the surface of the denture contacting the mucosa. Microbiological tests were carried out using culture methods routinely used in microbiological diagnostics.

Results:
A greater number of microorganism species was detected in both study groups in comparison with the control group. No statistically significant differences in species richness within both study groups were observed, although qualitative differences in microbial composition emerged between groups.

Conclusions:
The occurrence of edentulism and the use of dentures may have influence on both the quantity and quality of sublingual cultivable microbiota, but further research is required.