The effect of verbal information and demonstration on denture hygiene in elderly people

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of two oral hygiene information programs on denture hygiene. The programs were provided individually to healthy elderly denture wearers. Totally, 150 edentulous persons between 67 and 89 years of age were selected and randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group. In one test group (INFO) the participants were only given individual verbal information on how to remove denture plaque. The participants of the second test group (DEMO) received individual demonstration of denture cleaning in addition. One hundred and thirty-eight persons completed the study. The percentage plaque covering the maxillary denture base was assessed by a morphometric point-estimator scoring method at the start of the study and after 14 and 180 days. Verbal information resulted only in a short-term effect (14 days), whereas demonstration on how to remove denture plaque gave long-term (180 days) improvement of denture hygiene.

Key Words:

• Denture plaque
• gerodontology
• oral hygiene
• prosthetics