| Title |
Diuretics Contribute to Reduced Denture Retention |
| Clinical Question |
Do patients taking diuretics experience lost denture retention more than patients not taking diuretics? |
| Clinical Bottom Line |
Patients who take diuretics as part of medical therapy can experience loss of retention of their denture. This is supported by a non-randomized crossover trial in which denture retention was improved with removal of diuretics. It is not uncommon for denture wearers to be taking diuretics, particularly for hypertension, which is commonly seen in elderly populations. While it may not be advisable to have the patient modify their prescription drug therapy, an awareness of this relationship can guide dentists to compensate for lost retention or to modify denture treatment. |
| Best Evidence |
|
| PubMed ID |
Author / Year |
Patient Group |
Study type
(level of evidence) |
| 6988577 | Green/1980 | 5 denture wearers | Non-randomized Crossover Trial | | Key results | Denture wearers experienced increased retention after stopping diuretic medication. The retention ratio of medicated status to non-medicated status was 1:1.44 (31% difference) with a significant t value of 3.62, p < 0.05 and 4 degrees of freedom. | |
| Evidence Search |
("denture retention"[MeSH Terms] OR ("denture"[All Fields] AND "retention"[All Fields]) OR "denture retention"[All Fields]) AND ("diuretics"[Pharmacological Action] OR "diuretics"[MeSH Terms] OR "diuretics"[All Fields]) |
Comments on
The Evidence |
Validity:
The design of Green’s study was methodically sound; however, it may lack statistical power considering only five subjects were monitored and very little information was given about the patients other than their use of dentures and diuretics. Therefore, there may have been confounding factors that were not considered.
|
| Applicability |
Many denture wearers are elderly and thus are likely to have concomitant medical issues, one being hypertension. Additionally, lost denture retention is a common problem among users. Background articles show a causal relationship between diuretics and reduced tissue volume as well as xerostomia. Knowing diuretics can worsen denture retention is valuable information that can lead to modified, more successful treatment. |
| Specialty |
(General Dentistry) |
| Keywords |
Dentures, Retention, Hypertension, Medications, Diuretics
|
| ID# |
3066 |
| Date of submission |
04/05/2016 |
| E-mail |
Hainr@livemail.uthscsa.edu |
| Author |
Rachel Hain |
| Co-author(s) |
|
| Co-author(s) e-mail |
|
| Faculty mentor |
Tam T. Van, DDS |
| Faculty mentor e-mail |
Van@uthscsa.edu |
| |
|
Basic Science Rationale
(Mechanisms that may account for and/or explain the clinical question, i.e. is the answer to the clinical question consistent with basic biological, physical and/or behavioral science principles, laws and research?) |
| None available | |
 |
Comments and Evidence-Based Updates on the CAT
(FOR PRACTICING DENTISTS', FACULTY, RESIDENTS and/or STUDENTS COMMENTS ON PUBLISHED CATs) |
| None available | |