Hygiene practices in removable prosthodontics: A systematic review

To systematically review the recent scientific evidence about the hygiene practices of removable prostheses relative to the effectiveness, colour and dimensional stability. This review aimed also to identify patients' attitudes and habits towards denture hygiene.

Three electronic databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane Library) were screened, in English language, between January 1995 and December 2016. A supplementary hand search in the reference list of the identified articles was also performed. Controlled clinical trials (CCTs) involving patients with no clinical signs of denture stomatitis along with a comprehensive aim to assess the effectiveness of hygiene interventions and their impact on prosthesis colour and dimensional stability were eligible for inclusion.

Following a thorough screening of titles/abstracts/full texts and consideration of the defined inclusion criteria, 21 CCTs examined the effectiveness of the hygiene approaches, 3 evaluated the colour stability of dentures subjected to hygiene practices, 2 examined the dimensional stability of dentures following microwave disinfection and 30 studies registered patients' attitudes and habits towards denture hygiene.

Combined application of different hygiene interventions, including brushing or ultrasound vibration in conjunction with chemical agents, leads to more effective outcomes (reduction in denture biofilm percentage and/or number of microorganisms' colony-forming units). The dimensional stability seems to be unaltered, but the number of clinical trials was limited. Critical concentrations of cleansing solutions along with the duration of their implementation influence the serviceability of dentures regarding colour stability. Brushing represents the most commonly applied hygiene practice, while denture wearers' attitudes are not complied with the recommended guidelines considering the reported frequency of hygiene practices and the continuous denture wear.