In this study, a questionnaire was applied to patients from Ribeirão Preto Dental School, University of São Paulo, Brazil, to evaluate the hygiene methods and habits concerning the use of complete dentures, the age of dentures, and whether patients have been instructed on how to clean their dentures. The mean age of patients was 63.35 years, and most of them were females (82.08%). The results showed that 62.26% of the respondents had been using the same maxillary complete denture for more than 5 years, and 49.06% used the same mandible complete denture for more than 5 years. Of the patients interviewed, 58.49% slept with the dentures. Mechanical brushing was the most used cleaning method by the patients (100%), using water, dentifrice and toothbrush (84.91%). Most patients (51.89%) reported never having been instructed by their dentists as to how to clean their dentures. Based on the limitations of this study, it was concluded that the patients interviewed had limited knowledge about prosthetic hygiene and oral care. The method more used by patients was the mechanical method of brushing, most patients used the same complete dentures for more than 5 years and slept with the dentures.

Denture hygiene is essential because denture biofilm is involved in oral infections and systemic diseases. Although there are chemical agents available on the market, none of them have ideal properties and research on such products is still necessary. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a castor bean (Ricinus communis)-based solution for removing denture biofilm, compared to two traditional products (sodium hypochlorite and alkaline peroxide). Fifty maxillary complete denture wearers were instructed to brush their dentures after meals and to immerse their dentures once a day in the following solutions: Saline (20 min; control), Polident alkaline peroxide (3 min), NaOCl (20 min) and 2% castor oil solution (20 min). Participants used each solution for a period of 7 consecutive days, according to a random sequence. After each period, the internal surfaces of maxillary complete dentures were stained with a disclosing solution (1% neutral red), photographed and the disclosed biofilm was quantified with the aid of specific software. The influence of treatments on results was verified by the Friedman test (α=0.05). Tested solutions presented significant difference (Fr=51.67; p<0.001). Saline and NaOCl were significantly different (median: 2.0% and 0.0%) whereas Polident and castor oil presented intermediate results (median: 1.0% and 1.5%, respectively). It can be concluded that the castor oil solution tested in this study was comparable to alkaline peroxide in terms of efficiency in denture biofilm removal.

It can be concluded that brushing complete dentures with the experimental dentifrices tested could be effective for the removal of denture biofilm.

Adequate denture hygiene can prevent and treat infection in edentulous patients. They are usually elderly and have difficulty for brushing their teeth.ObjectiveThis study evaluated the efficacy of complete denture biofilm removal using chemical (alkaline peroxide-effervescent tablets), mechanical (ultrasonic) and combined (association of the effervescent and ultrasonic) methods. Material and MethodsEighty complete denture wearers participated in the experiment for 21 days. They were distributed into 4 groups (n=20): (1) Brushing with water (Control); (2) Effervescent tablets (Corega Tabs); (3) Ultrasonic device (Ultrasonic Cleaner, model 2840 D); (4) Association of effervescent tablets and ultrasonic device. All groups brushed their dentures with a specific brush (Bitufo) and water, 3 times a day, before applying their treatments. Denture biofilm was collected at baseline and after 21 days. To quantify the biofilm, the internal surfaces of the maxillary complete dentures were stained and photographed at 45º. The photographs were processed and the areas (total internal surface stained with biofilm) quantified (Image Tool 2.02). The percentage of the biofilm was calculated by the ratio between the biofilm area multiplied by 100 and the total area of the internal surface of the maxillary complete denture. ResultsThe Kruskal-Wallis test was used for comparison among groups followed by the Dunn multiple-comparison test. All tests were performed respecting a significance level of 0.05. Significant difference was found among the treatments (KW=21.18; P<0.001), the mean ranks for the treatments and results for Dunn multiple comparison test were: Control (60.9); Chemical (37.2); Mechanical (35.2) and Combined (29.1). ConclusionThe experimental methods were equally effective regarding the ability to remove biofilm and were superior to the control method (brushing with water). Immersion in alkaline peroxide and ultrasonic vibration can be used as auxiliary agents for cleaning complete dentures.

The effervescent tablets significantly reduced mutans streptococci and total aerobes from denture biofilm. However, they was not as effective against C. albicans. Ultrasonic cleansing presented a discrete antimicrobial effect and was less effective than the tablets for complete denture disinfection.

The median direct cost of complete denture treatment was 34.9% lower for the simplified method. It can be concluded that the simplified method is less costly for patients and the health system when compared with a conventional protocol for the rehabilitation of edentulous patients.

Both chlorhexidine-based treatments had a similar ability to remove denture biofilm. Immersion in 0.12% or 2.0% chlorhexidine solutions can be used as an auxiliary method for cleaning complete dentures.

The aims of this study were to evaluate the incidence of mutans streptococci (MS - sessile form) on complete maxillary dentures after use of a specific denture paste, and to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and maximum inhibitory dilution (MID) of 3 oral mouthrinses: Cepacol, Plax and Periogard. Seventy-seven complete denture wearers were randomly assigned into 2 groups, according to the product used for denture cleaning: Control group - conventional dentifrice (Kolynos-Super White); and Test group: experimental denture cleaning paste. Denture biofilm was collected at baseline and after 90 and 180 days after treatment by brushing the dentures with saline solution. After decimal serial dilution, samples were seeded onto agar sucrose bacitracin to count colonies with morphological characteristics of MS. MS identification was performed by the sugar fermentation tests. After this procedure, brain heart infusion broth (BHI) was added to oral mouthrinses (Plax, Cepacol e Periogard) and seeded on Petri dishes. The colonies were seeded using the Steers multiplier and, after the incubation, the MIC and MID of the mouthrinses were calculated. The results showed an incidence of 74.0% (n=57) of MS in the 77 complete dentures examined in the study, being 76.3% (n=29) of the Control group (conventional dentifrice) and 71.8% (28) of the Test group (experimental denture cleaning paste). In both groups, the number of positive cases for MS decreased from day 0 to day 180. In the Test group there was a slight decrease in the incidence of Streptococcus mutans 90 days after use of the experimental denture cleaning paste, which was not observed in the Control group. As regards to mouthrinses, for both groups, Periogard showed antimicrobial action with the highest dilution, followed by Cepacol and Plax. In conclusion, the incidence of MS in complete dentures was high and Periogard was the mouthrinse with the strongest antimicrobial action against MS. The experimental denture cleaning paste showed a slight action against S. mutans after 90 days of treatment.