Denture wearers' recognition for their oral health status, denture cleansing methods, and insurance health system / 대한치과보철학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim of the present investigation was to understand the incidence, prevalence of denture stomatitis in denture wearers, who were over 60 years old, and use the results for a fundamental data to promote public awareness about denture stomatitis and its education tools. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From August 21 to September 8 2017, 500 denture wearers, who were more than 60 years old in Seoul and 4 other metropolitan cities (Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, and Daejeon), received questionnaires. The questionnaires included denture wearers' demographic distributions, specific dental treatment experiences, discomforts with current dentures, their oral health conditions, and the method of denture cleansing. RESULTS: Thirty-two percent of 500 denture wearers responded that they have healthy oral conditions. Two hundred and eight respondents (41.6%) were aware of denture stomatitis. Only 131 (26.2%) were informed about the removable denture covered by national health insurance and 327 (65.4%) of denture wearers were using the improper denture cleansing methods. CONCLUSION: A large number of denture wearers still do not recognize the importance of proper treatment for denture stomatitis, insurance covered denture treatments, and adequate denture cleansing methods.