Hygiene Habits of Denture Wearers in Shtip

Introduction: Wearing dentures is commonly associated with patient’s satisfaction and some complications. Denture hygiene is important for maintaining oral health. Proper hygiene on dentures is essential to prevent dental plaque accumulation and consequently staining of dentures, halitosis, denture stomatitis and other infections. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the behavior and hygiene habits of denture wearers in the local population in Shtip. Material and Method: For the purpose of this study we used a specific questionnaire to evaluate the population in Shtip, their denture hygiene, knowledge and ability to clean the denture at appropriate intervals. The sample included 200 respondents wearing denture. Questionnaire contains certain information like: age, gender, time of wearing, method of cleaning, frequency of cleaning, cleaning of the oral cavity. Results: Average age of the respondents was 73 years. All respondents answered that they have no difficulty in cleaning dentures and cleaned their dentures least once a day. Every respondent brush their dentures, 60% used only water while brushing their denture. The use of denture cleanser or other chemical agents for immersion was very low. Majority of them answered that they cleaned their dentures only. Conclusion: Every respondent used some method for the hygiene of dentures but respondents had restricted knowledge for denture cleaning materials. Therefore, it is necessary to develop appropriate programs for training professionals responsible for daily care to maintain oral hygiene among denture wearers. Key words: cleaning, dentures, habits, water, wearers