Denture Hygiene as It Relates to Denture Stomatitis: A Review

The wear of dentures carries with it the possibility of an inflammatory response by the denture-bearing tissues. Lack of or improper hygiene has been shown to contribute to denture stomatitis (DS). Although essential, denture hygiene is often overlooked by patients or performed improperly. As professional caregivers dentists must instruct patients and ensure that they understand the relevance and importance of denture hygiene. In light of this, the authors conducted a critical review of the literature on protocols and procedures to highlight the importance of denture hygiene and clinically show the effects of lack of denture care. A literature search was done through Google, PubMed, and Google Scholar that focused on publications published in English that dealt with denture hygiene and the disinfection process and on the protocols used. Relevant articles for protocols for denture disinfections were reviewed, and the results of different disinfection techniques were assessed, including manual, chemical, microwave, and a combination of techniques. The authors conclude that dentists must take time to instruct patients on proper denture disinfection procedures and the importance of cleaning the dentures well at least once daily. Denture hygiene and removal prior to sleeping is beneficial in preventing DS and allowing the tissue to achieve a state of homeostasis.