Assessment of hygiene habits and attitudes among removable partial denture wearers in a university hospital
A total of 72 (49%) patients reported that they had not been well informed by the dentists. Brushing was the
most frequent cleaning method (57.6%). 77 (53.1%) patients did not take off their dentures at night. The frequency of
cleaning dentures and using cleansing tablet was significantly higher in females than in males (P < 0.05). The frequency
of denture cleaning, cleaned parts of denture, use of cleansing tablet, removal of dentures at night, frequency of
tooth brushing, does not show any significant difference according to age, educational status or duration of denture
usage (P > 0.05). RPD wearers did not clean their dentures and natural teeth satisfactorily and had limited knowledge
of denture cleansing and oral hygiene maintenance.
Conclusions: Hygiene habits and attitudes may be affected by gender, but education level and hygiene attitudes may
not always present positive correlation. Dentists should thoroughly inform patients about the harmful effects of overnight
wearing and motivate to clean metal parts of RPD’s and cleansing tablet use in order to minimize the abrasive effect
of widely preferred cleaning method of brushing with toothpaste.