Introduction: Oral candidiasis are affections of the oral cavity induced by yeasts of the genus Candida, which develop in patients with a fragile ground and more particularly in immunocompromised patients, including diabetics. Our study is prospective descriptive, carried out at the University Hospital of Batna. The main objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of oral candidiasis in diabetic patients hospitalized in the various services at the University Hospital of Batna, as well as to describe the risk factors and the species involved.

Material and Method: We included in our study 78 diabetic patients, oral samples using sterile swabs were taken for each patient and an information sheet was completed, including demographic, clinical, therapeutic and biological data. The samples were cultured. The identification of Candida species was made by the Auxacolor kit.

Results: The prevalence of oral candidiasis in our study was 63%. We noticed the predominance of the male sex (53%). The majority of patients were hospitalized in the pediatric department with a frequency of 40%. The most incriminated species was Candida albicans. The main risk factors contributing to the occurrence of this disease were: antibiotic therapy, diabetic ketoacidosis and the wearing of dental prostheses. Conclusion Systemic health is linked to oral health, especially in people with diabetes, which requires rigorous management and the involvement of health professionals in strategies for the recognition, prevention and screening of this disease.  Therefore, the inclusion of an oral examination for diabetic patients has become essential.

Keywords: Candida, Oral candidiasis, Diabetes, Oral cavity