ABSTRACT
The objectives of this study were to collect data about the popular methods and materials used for cleaning dentures among complete and partial denture wearers in Jordan, and to determine the relationship between denture base plaque and mucosal inflammation under the dentures. Materials and This study was divided into two sections. The first section was a questionnaire consisting of six simple questions regarding denture hygiene practices and cleaning products used by 321 denture wearers who attended the prosthodontic clinics at King Hussein Medical Center and Marka Health Center for the replacement or adjustment of their dentures in the period from the first of August 1995 until 27th of December 1996. The second section included oral examination and the examination of dentures. The relationship between denture hygiene and inflammation under the dentures was studied. of the 321 denture wearers surveyed, 203 [63%] were males and 240 [75%] were completely edentulous. The majority of denture wearers 288 [90%] were in the age range of 50-80 years. The most popular method of cleaning dentures was brushing, 235 [73%] patients used the brush to clean their dentures, 45 [14%] used water only and 23 [7%] used a commercial denture cleanser soaking agent. Half of the denture wearers 160 [50%] never removed their dentures at night, and 157 [49%] of the patients had unhygienic dentures. Of all denture wearers, 94 [29%] had denture stomatitis and most of those; 75 [80%] did not remove their dentures at night. 73 [78%] of patients who had denture stomatitis had unhygienic dentures. A large number of people do not know how to clean their dentures properly, either as a result of never having been given advice or not following that given. The analysis of this survey showed that there was a statistically significant relationship between poor denture hygiene and not removing the denture at night on one side and denture stomatitis on the other side