A complete denture cleaning instruction booklet in enhancing the behavior of elderly patients: an experimental study

Background: The aging process introduces behavioral and physiological challenges, including tooth loss. While complete dentures restore function and aesthetics, inadequate hygiene compromises their effectiveness. Existing educational resources often lack clarity and do not adequately support behavior change. This study aimed to investigate changes in denture hygiene-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among elderly individuals following a booklet-based intervention. Methods: This study employed an experimental one-group pretest and posttest design, involving 37 elderly participants from Panti Jompo Pusaka 41 Yayasan Al-Madiniyah. A 15-item questionnaire was administered through structured interviews both before and two weeks after the distribution of a booklet on proper denture-cleaning techniques. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyze differences. Results: Following the two-week intervention, 78% of participants achieved good knowledge scores, 84% demonstrated good attitudes, and 73% reported good hygiene practices. Wilcoxon analysis showed significant improvements across all three domains (p < 0.005). Conclusion: The use of instructional booklets can enhance denture-cleaning behavior among the elderly. Although behavior is presented as an overall outcome, the analysis was conducted independently for each domain to ensure interpretive clarity. These findings highlight the critical role of simple and accessible educational tools in improving oral health outcomes among elderly populations.