Evaluating the Antimicrobial Properties of Different Dental Cleaning Tablets Against S. aureus Grown on Two Denture Base Materials

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of three commercially available denture cleaning tablets Efferdent, Polident, and Val-clean against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms formed on two denture base materials: milled polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and 3D printed denture resin.

Material and Methods

Eighty samples were fabricated, with 40 specimens per denture base material: CAD/CAM milled PMMA (Lucitone Digital Fit LT; Dentsply Sirona, Charlotte, NC, USA) and 3D printed resin (Denture Base Resin; Formlabs Inc., Somerville, MA, USA). Each group was divided into four subgroups (n = 10), Efferdent, Polident, Val-clean, and deionized water (control). Surface roughness was measured using a digital profilometer (Digiprofilo I; Digiwork Instruments, Concord, ON, Canada). Samples were exposed to S. aureus in tryptic soy broth (TSB) and subsequently treated with the cleaning solutions. Colony-forming units (CFUs) were quantified using serial dilution plating. To distinguish bactericidal from bacteriostatic effects, normalized S. aureus cultures were incubated with the cleaning agents for 16 h, followed by optical density measurements, LIVE/DEAD staining (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, California), and TSB agar plating. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and Dunnett's multiple comparisons test, with significance set at p < 0.05.

Results

A significant difference in surface roughness was observed between the 3D printed and milled samples before treatment (p < 0.0001). Significantly fewer CFUs were observed in all cleaning solution groups compared to the control (p < 0.05). All denture cleaning solutions demonstrated bactericidal activity against S. aureus, as indicated by the absence of CFU growth on agar plates and the lack of viable cells in LIVE/DEAD staining posttreatment. Both denture materials demonstrated comparable microbial adhesion and response to the cleaning agents.

Conclusions

Efferdent, Polident, and Val-clean denture tablets are effective bactericidal agents against S. aureus in vitro, regardless of the denture base material used. These findings support their use in daily denture hygiene routines, particularly in reducing bacterial colonization on removable prostheses.