Removable dental prosthesis cleanliness in older patients

Researchers have assessed the potential factors contributing to poor removable dental prosthesis hygiene among community-dwelling older patients.

In a cross-sectional clinical study published in The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, the researchers used a plaque-discoloring agent to illuminate plaque on the removable dental prostheses of 97 community-dwelling older patients.

Mean plaque coverage per prosthesis was about 25% and just more than 43% of them were considered unclean. The researchers determined that factors such as presence of denture stomatitis as well as prosthesis age, material, retention, stability and fit all impacted removable dental prosthesis hygiene. Notably, prosthesis fit was found to be significantly associated with cleanliness. For instance, those that fit poorly were more likely to be unclean compared with those that fit well.

The findings highlighted the critical need to communicate strategies to maintain proper removable dental prosthesis hygiene in this patient population.

Read more: The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry

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