Biocompatibility of Denture Adhesives: Effects on Oral Tissues and Inflammatory Responses—Literature Review

TL;DR

This review examines how denture adhesives affect oral tissues, focusing on their safety, toxicity, and potential to cause inflammation.

Contribution

The paper systematically reviews the biocompatibility of denture adhesives, emphasizing gaps in understanding their inflammatory effects.

Findings

Denture adhesives may show cytotoxic effects on oral fibroblasts and influence biofilm formation.

There is limited research on how denture adhesives affect inflammation and cytokine production in oral tissues.

Long-term clinical trials are needed to evaluate the safety and biocompatibility of denture adhesives.

Abstract

Background: This article describes the biocompatibility of denture adhesives, focusing on their cytotoxicity towards oral fibroblasts, their influence on biofilm formation and microbial infections, and their potential to induce inflammatory responses in oral tissues. By examining these factors, we aim to shed light on the effectiveness and safety of denture adhesives, providing clinicians with helpful advice and highlighting important topics for further research. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using the Medline (PubMed) and SCOPUS databases. The search strategy included the following MeSH terms: denture adhesives, complete dentures, cytotoxicity, inflammation, and biofilm formation. Only peer-reviewed articles were included. Results: Studies have shown that denture adhesives may have cytotoxic effects on oral mucosal fibroblasts, as well as on biofilm formation and adhesion. Moreover, there is still little research on the effect of denture adhesives on inflammation of the denture-bearing area and cytokine production. Conclusions: The obtained results highlight the need for long-term patient investigations, and thorough clinical trials are absolutely essential to evaluate the actual safety of denture adhesives. Since this aspect is still under investigation, particular focus should be placed on understanding the inflammatory reactions these compounds induce. Improving the safety profile of denture adhesives will require cooperation among manufacturers, dental practitioners, and researchers to ensure that patients are adequately informed and that product formulations are improved for biocompatibility.

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