Purpose: To assess the behaviour of the elderly with regard to hygiene procedures for and maintenance of removable dentures. Materials and 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. Conclusion: 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. Palabras clave: denture, elderly, hygiene