Denture Care Practices and Perceived Denture Status among Complete Denture Wearers.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Considerable importance to oral health care was lacking in India, and oral health neglect continues to exist, which is evident in the low utilization rates and poor oral health status. Conventional dentures are the most common alternative in restoration of lost teeth. Without proper denture care practices, there is an increased risk of developing a multitude of problems. The aim of this study is to assess the denture care practices among complete denture wearers in East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the department of Prosthodontics at the Konaseema Institute of Dental Sciences, Amalapuram, Andhra Pradesh. Patients with self-care ability and adequate overall health who were using either single or full complete dentures for more than 6 months from the time of the study were requested to participate in the study. A total of 375 study participants were given a self-administered questionnaire on denture care practices followed by clinical examination of the denture status. Statistical analysis was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software for windows, version 20.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp).

RESULTS: The majority of participants reported cleansing their dentures once a day, with brush and water, and had the habit of removing the dentures at night. Almost 80% of the participants reported their denture status to be good/fair. Clinical examination revealed that slightly more than half of the participants had poor denture status.

CONCLUSION: This study highlights the need for improvement in patient education and counseling with respect to the maintenance of dentures and upkeep of denture hygiene. It also emphasizes the need for educating patients on how to evaluate the status of their dentures.