Denture Hygiene Knowledge And Practices Of Denture Wearers

Objectives: To assess the knowledge level of complete and partial denture wearers regarding denture hygiene measures and practices, and to find or establish any association of this knowledge level with socioeconomic status, education and type of denture.
Methods: This cross-sectional survey included 85 denture wearers selected through convenience non-probability sampling technique. Study data were recorded on a self-designed close-ended questionnaire that was filled in a consented interview with the patients. The questionnaire included 9 relevant questions which were supposed to be answered as “No” or “Yes”. Patient responses were used to derive a numerical score ranging from 9 (minimum) upto 18 (maximum). This score was used to categorize the knowledge level and practices into 5 groups: extremely poor (score of 9-10), relatively poor (score of 11-12), moderate (score of 13-14), relatively good (score of 15-16), and extremely good (score of 17-18). Cross tabulations were used to draw associations between knowledge level and socioeconomic status, education and type of prosthesis. Chi-square test was applied and P value less than 0.05 was taken to be significant.
Results: The data comprised of 39 (45.9%) complete denture wearers and 46 (54.1%) partial denture wearers. The mean score was 13.71 ± 1.91. Among the socioeconomic groups, none of the non-affording and partially affording patients were placed in the extremely good knowledge level category, which was displayed in intermediate and graduation level of education categories only. On the basis of prosthesis type, none of the complete denture patients were in the extremely poor knowledge level category. Chi-square test revealed a non-significant association of knowledge level with socioeconomic status (P value 0.55) whereas a highly significant association with education level (P value 0.001) and type of denture (P value 0.014).
Conclusions: It was concluded that knowledge and practices of the patients regarding denture hygiene was related to their educational status (more literate participants had better knowledge) and also to the type of denture being worn (complete denture patients had relatively better knowledge than the partial denture patients).