Subscribe to RSS

DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1802570
Role of Nurses in Enhancing Removable Dental Prostheses Hygiene
Authors

Abstract
Objective
Nurses contribute significantly to the management and prevention of oral diseases by educating patients on correct removable dental prostheses (RDP) cleaning techniques. This article aimed to present the role of nurses in enhancing RDP hygiene and provide a practical guide for nurses.
Materials and Methods
A thorough literature search was done regarding the role of nurses in enhancing RDP hygiene and providing a practical guide for nurses in Google Scholar and PubMed from 1984 until 2024. All the English-language papers were included in this article. Publications included original research papers, review articles, and book chapters. The articles included were reviewed and added to this report.
Results
Good oral hygiene is crucial in preventing infections, enhancing patient comfort, and reducing health risks like pneumonia or gum disease that can result from inadequate RDP care. Hospitals and healthcare providers are encouraged to prioritize RDP care protocols, offering training and ensuring access to necessary cleaning supplies to support nurses in their care. Nurses have an important role in supporting proper care for patients using removable dentures.
Conclusion
Through best practices in RDP cleaning, correct storage, educating patients on how to care for their RDP, proper documentation, and follow-up, nurses can make a significant improvement in patient health outcomes.
Keywords
removable dental prostheses - removable partial denture - denture cleaning - dental hygiene - nursesPublication History
Article published online:
23 April 2025
© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
A-12, 2nd Floor, Sector 2, Noida-201301 UP, India
-
References
- 1 Lee KH, Lee KY, Choi YY, Jung ES. Effects of professional oral health care programs for elderly residents of nursing facilities. J Dent Hyg 2020; 94 (06) 33-39
- 2 Czarkowski G, Allroggen S, Köster-Schmidt A, Bausback-Schomakers S, Frank M, Heudorf U. [Oral health hygiene education programme for nursing personnel to improve oral health of residents in long-term care facilities 2010 in Frankfurt/Main, Germany]. Gesundheitswesen 2013; 75 (06) 368-375
- 3 Hoad-Reddick G, Grant AA, Griffiths CS. Investigation into the cleanliness of dentures in an elderly population. J Prosthet Dent 1990; 64 (01) 48-52
- 4 Kanzigg LA, Hunt L. Oral health and hospital-acquired pneumonia in elderly patients: a review of the literature. J Dent Hyg 2016; 90 (Suppl. 01) 15-21
- 5 Axe A, Burnett GR, Milleman KR, Patil A, Milleman JL. Randomized controlled clinical study to determine the oral and dermal tolerability of an experimental denture wipe. J Prosthodont 2019; 28 (02) 138-145
- 6 Herzberg MC, Weyer MW. Dental plaque, platelets, and cardiovascular diseases. Ann Periodontol 1998; 3 (01) 151-160
- 7 Suphangul S, Pujarern P, Rokaya D, Kanchanasobhana C, Rungsiyakull P, Chaijareenont P. Comparison of plaque accumulation between titanium and PEEK healing abutments. J Funct Biomater 2024; 15 (11) 334
- 8 Papathanasiou I, Kamposiora P, Papavasiliou G, Ferrari M. The use of PEEK in digital prosthodontics: a narrative review. BMC Oral Health 2020; 20 (01) 217
- 9 Heboyan A, Zafar MS, Rokaya D, Khurshid Z. Insights and advancements in biomaterials for prosthodontics and implant dentistry. Molecules 2022; 27 (16) 5116
- 10 Mohamed SZ, Ghobashy MM, Taymour N, Abdelwahab S, Srimaneepong V, Rokaya D. Accuracy of repaired maxillary dentures from two different repairing techniques: in vitro study. Heliyon 2024; 10 (21) e40017
- 11 Coulthwaite L, Verran J. Potential pathogenic aspects of denture plaque. Br J Biomed Sci 2007; 64 (04) 180-189
- 12 Mohd Farid DA, Zahari NAH, Said Z. et al. Modification of polymer based dentures on biological properties: current update, status, and findings. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23 (18) 10426
- 13 Srinivasan M, Kamnoedboon P, McKenna G. et al. CAD-CAM removable complete dentures: a systematic review and meta-analysis of trueness of fit, biocompatibility, mechanical properties, surface characteristics, color stability, time-cost analysis, clinical and patient-reported outcomes. J Dent 2021; 113: 103777
- 14 Hussein MO, Hussein LA. Trueness of 3D printed partial denture frameworks: build orientations and support structure density parameters. J Adv Prosthodont 2022; 14 (03) 150-161
- 15 Reslan MR, Osman E, Segaan L, Rayyan M, Joukhadar C, Fattouh M. Comparison between integrated and parallel interlock designs of an extracoronal attachment-retained distal extension removable partial dentures: a clinical trial. J Int Soc Prev Community Dent 2021; 11 (01) 41-49
- 16 Lim TW, Li KY, Burrow MF, McGrath C. Prevalence of respiratory pathogens colonizing on removable dental prostheses in healthy older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Prosthodont 2024; 33 (05) 417-426
- 17 O'Donnell LE, Smith K, Williams C. et al. Dentures are a reservoir for respiratory pathogens. J Prosthodont 2016; 25 (02) 99-104
- 18 Al Jaghsi A, Biffar R, Pink C, Mundt T. Applicability of computerized planimetric method in estimating plaque accumulation and efficacy of a cleaning method for removable dental prostheses. Int J Prosthodont 2018; 31 (02) 152-157
- 19 Strajnić L, Dokić M, Vucinić P. [Contemporary methods and mobile denture cleansers and theirs significance for older population]. Med Pregl 2011; 64 (9-10): 497-502
- 20 D'Ambrosio F, Santella B, Di Palo MP, Giordano F, Lo Giudice R. Characterization of the oral microbiome in wearers of fixed and removable implant or non-implant-supported prostheses in healthy and pathological oral conditions: a narrative review. Microorganisms 2023; 11 (04) 1041
- 21 Marsh PD. Microbial ecology of dental plaque and its significance in health and disease. Adv Dent Res 1994; 8 (02) 263-271
- 22 Iacopino AM, Cutler CW. Pathophysiological relationships between periodontitis and systemic disease: recent concepts involving serum lipids. J Periodontol 2000; 71 (08) 1375-1384
- 23 Benyounes O, Bekri S, Belgacem S, Labidi A, Khemis M, Mansour L. Oral colonization by different Candida species: first comparative study between denture and nondenture wearers in Tunisia. Eur J Dent 2025; 19 (01) 206-213
- 24 Karimzadeh F, Sajedi SM, Taram S, Karimzadeh F. Comparative evaluation of bacterial colonization on removable dental prostheses in patients with COVID-19: a clinical study. J Prosthet Dent 2023; 129 (01) 147-149
- 25 Al Jaghsi A, Mundt T, Biffar R. Reproducibility of a new computerized planimetric method for the measurement and assessment of removable dental prostheses plaque. Int J Prosthodont 2017; 30 (04) 377-383
- 26 Gornitsky M, ParadisI I, Landaverde G, Malo AM, Velly AM. A clinical and microbiological evaluation of denture cleansers for geriatric patients in long-term care institutions. J Can Dent Assoc 2002; 68 (01) 39-45
- 27 Przybyłowska D, Piskorska K, Gołaś M. et al. Evaluation of genetic diversity of Candida spp. and Klebsiella spp. isolated from the denture plaque of COPD patients. Adv Exp Med Biol 2017; 955: 1-8
- 28 Cardash HS, Rosenberg M. An innovative method of monitoring denture hygiene. J Prosthet Dent 1990; 63 (06) 661-664
- 29 Wang Q, Zhang Y, Li Q. et al. Therapeutic applications of antimicrobial silver-based biomaterials in dentistry. Int J Nanomedicine 2022; 17: 443-462
- 30 Smith RN, Brook AH, Elcock C. The quantification of dental plaque using an image analysis system: reliability and validation. J Clin Periodontol 2001; 28 (12) 1158-1162
- 31 Paranhos HdeF, Panzeri H, Lara EH, Candido RC, Ito IY. Capacity of denture plaque/biofilm removal and antimicrobial action of a new denture paste. Braz Dent J 2000; 11 (02) 97-104
- 32 Paranhos HdeF, da Silva CH. Comparative study of methods for the quantification of biofilm on complete dentures. Braz Oral Res 2004; 18 (03) 215-223
- 33 Coulthwaite L, Pretty IA, Smith PW, Higham SM, Verran J. QLF is not readily suitable for in vivo denture plaque assessment. J Dent 2009; 37 (11) 898-901
- 34 Klein M, Al-Ahmad A, Follo M, Hellwig E, Vach K, Chrubasik-Hausmann S. In vitro eradication of planktonic, saliva and biofilm bacteria using lingonberry extract as a photosensitizer for visible light plus water-filtered infrared-a irradiation. Nutrients 2023; 15 (23) 4988
- 35 Mountcastle SE, Vyas N, Villapun VM. et al. Biofilm viability checker: an open-source tool for automated biofilm viability analysis from confocal microscopy images. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2021; 7 (01) 44
- 36 Gruender J, Al Jaghsi A, Schwahn C, Mundt T. Randomized trial in split-mouth design to evaluate the effectiveness of manual and machine-aided cleaning of removable partial dentures. Int J Prosthodont 2021; 34 (06) 712-723
- 37 Quirynen M, Marechal M, van Steenberghe D. Comparative antiplaque activity of sanguinarine and chlorhexidine in man. J Clin Periodontol 1990; 17 (04) 223-227
- 38 Paranhos HdeF, Lovato da Silva CH, de Souza RF, Pontes KM. Evaluation of three indices for biofilm accumulation on complete dentures. Gerodontology 2010; 27 (01) 33-40
- 39 Mylonas P, Milward P, McAndrew R. Denture cleanliness and hygiene: an overview. Br Dent J 2022; 233 (01) 20-26
- 40 Mylonas P, Afzal Z, Attrill DC. A clinical audit of denture cleanliness in general dental practice undertaken in the West Midlands. Br Dent J 2014; 217 (05) 231-234
- 41 Ribeiro MT, Ferreira RC, Vargas AM, Ferreira e Ferreira E. Validity and reproducibility of the revised oral assessment guide applied by community health workers. Gerodontology 2014; 31 (02) 101-110
- 42 Almas K, Salameh Z, Kutkut A, Al Doubali A. A simplified technique to measure plaque on the intaglio surfaces of complete dentures. J Int Acad Periodontol 2015; 17 (02) 58-64
- 43 Silva CH, Paranhos Hde F, Ito IY. Biofilm disclosing agents in complete denture: clinical and antimicrobial evaluation [in Portuguese]. Pesqui Odontol Bras 2002; 16 (03) 270-275
- 44 Ambjørnsen E, Rise J, Haugejorden O. A study of examiner errors associated with measurement of denture plaque. Acta Odontol Scand 1984; 42 (03) 183-191
- 45 Papadiochou S, Polyzois G. Hygiene practices in removable prosthodontics: a systematic review. Int J Dent Hyg 2018; 16 (02) 179-201
- 46 Salles MM, Badaró MM, Arruda CN. et al. Antimicrobial activity of complete denture cleanser solutions based on sodium hypochlorite and Ricinus communis - a randomized clinical study. J Appl Oral Sci 2015; 23 (06) 637-642
- 47 Rossato MB, Unfer B, May LG, Braun KO. Analysis of the effectiveness of different hygiene procedures used in dental prostheses. Oral Health Prev Dent 2011; 9 (03) 221-227
- 48 Felipucci DN, Davi LR, Paranhos HF, Bezzon OL, Silva RF, Pagnano VO. Effect of different cleansers on the surface of removable partial denture. Braz Dent J 2011; 22 (05) 392-397
- 49 de Sousa Porta SR, de Lucena-Ferreira SC, da Silva WJ, Del Bel Cury AA. Evaluation of sodium hypochlorite as a denture cleanser: a clinical study. Gerodontology 2015; 32 (04) 260-266
- 50 da Rosa LS, Souza LFB, Pilecco RO. et al. Are dental prophylaxis protocols safe for CAD-CAM restorative materials? Surface characteristics and fatigue strength. Coatings 2024; 14 (12) 1510
- 51 Sumi Y, Miura H, Michiwaki Y, Nagaosa S, Nagaya M. Colonization of dental plaque by respiratory pathogens in dependent elderly. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2007; 44 (02) 119-124
- 52 Oral Health Victoria. 2022 . Accessed October 13, 2024, at: https://www.dhsv.org.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/247802/Prevention-Portal-How-to-Care-for-dentures-v5-040718-DHSV-single.pdf
- 53 CDC. Oral Health in Healthcare Settings to Prevent Pneumonia Toolkit. 2024 . Accessed October 13, 2024, at: https://www.cdc.gov/healthcare-associated-infections/hcp/prevention-healthcare/oral-health-pneumonia-toolkit.html