Denture adhesives: cytotoxicity, microbial contamination, and formaldehyde content

Denture adhesives are extensively used to enhance retention of dentures. Denture adhesives and their leachable components are ingested, but reports on the biologic aspects of denture adhesives are scarce. This study investigated some biological properties of 19 commercially available denture adhesives. The adhesives were assessed by the agar overlay technique and analyzed for microbial contamination and formaldehyde content. In the agar overlay test, all of the materials caused severe cytotoxic effects. Sabouraud dextrose agar was used for cultivation of fungi and tryptone soya broth for cultivation of aerobes, including fungi. Most of the samples tested showed microbial growth. The formaldehyde test revealed the presence of substantial amounts in four products and minor amounts in two products.