Support Oral Health in Patients With Removable Dental Prostheses

By Lisa Mallonee, MPH, RDH, RD, LD and JoAnn Gurenlian, RDH, MS, PhD, AFAAOM

Severe tooth loss (having ≤ 8 natural teeth) and edentulism negatively impact health and quality of life. In 2019, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported one in six (17%) adults over the age of 65 and 43% of current smokers had lost all their teeth. In 2020, approximately 41 million Americans reported using partial or full dentures which, as the population ages, is projected to increase to approximately 42.5 million by 2024. Removable dental prostheses can impact patient health, quality of life, nutrition, and social and professional interactions. Psychologically, denture wearers experience notable anxiety around oral care including a sense of inferiority provoked by tooth loss and denture use that can impact day-to-day functioning. While proper fit, care, and maintenance of dentures are vital to overall health and well-being, this may not be widely achieved.

* References can be found in the original article via the link below.
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