In the present study, the growth of a single isolate of Candida albicans on saliva-, serum-coated or protein free (uncoated), thermocycled (4–70 °C for 1 min, respectively; 0, 1000 and 10 000 times) seven commercial soft lining materials were investigated, by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) analysis. In the case of control resilient liners (not thermocycled and uncoated), the fungal colonization appeared to depend upon the type of commercial resilient liner used. Thus, the lowest colonization was observed with fluoric and heat-cured silicone materials, cold-cured silicone materials, except for one product, and heat-cured acrylic resin exhibited the highest colonization capacity, and cold-cured acrylic resilient liners exhibited the intermediate. However, the fungal colonization on the materials was significantly promoted both by thermal cycling ( anova, P<0·01) and a layer of protein coating (saliva, P<0·01; serum, P<0·01). These results, taken together, suggest that the ageing of the materials and the biological fluids of the host promote yeast colonization on resilient lining materials.