Efficacy of denture cleansers in reducing microbial counts from removable partial dentures: A short-term clinical evaluation

Abstract

This clinical study investigated if daily immersion in denture cleansers reduces microbial counts on removable partial denture's (RPD) biofilm. Twenty-five RPD wearer volunteers were selected and instructed to complement the hygiene of their dentures by immersing them in an enzymatic peroxide-based denture cleanser (Polident® 3 minute) once a day for 3 min for a period of 15 days. The biofilm was collected from RPD surfaces with a swab immediately before (baseline) and after the experimental period. The samples were placed in sterile saline solution, sonicated at 7 W and then plated on specific culture media to quantify total microorganisms, total streptococci and Candida spp. counts. Data from both collections were compared by paired t-test (α=0.05). It was observed a significant reduction on total microorganisms' counts in RPD biofilm after denture cleanser use (p=0.007). This reduction was also observed for total streptococci (p=0.0428), but no difference was observed on Candida spp. counts. It was concluded that daily use of denture cleanser improved denture hygiene by reducing total microorganisms and total streptococci from RPD surface but had no effect on Candida spp. population.