title: Behaviour of the Elderly with Regard to Hygiene Procedures for and Maintenance of Removable Dentures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the behaviour of the elderly with regard to hygiene procedures for and maintenance of removable dentures.
  
  
  METHODS
  243 elderly people were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire, which was applied in the coverage area of Family Health Strategy in Urlandia district in the city of Santa Maria, Brazil.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of those interviewed were 60 to 69 years old, with a prevalence of women and incomplete primary school education. In general, the dentures had been worn for more than 10 years and 43.7% of them had been made by a dental prosthetic technician. More than half the study population had not received instructions on hygiene and maintenance of the dentures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This population was not aware of the importance of hygiene and maintenance of the removable dentures. It is worrying that a considerable number of elderly have sought dental prosthetic care from technicians who were not trained to promote and maintain health.
authors.forename: Deise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Osmari
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fraga
authors.forename: Katia Olmedo
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Unfer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003729:Dental Care; D003800:Dental Technicians; D003802:Dentifrices / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003820:Denture Cleansers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003824:Denture, Complete; D003832:Denture, Partial, Removable; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000379:methods*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000295:instrumentation
chemical_list: D003802:Dentifrices; D003820:Denture Cleansers