Seventeen soluble denture adhesives available in local drug stores in Belgium were selected. The pH of aqueous adhesive solutions was determined with a glass pH electrode. Sodium determinations of normal and acidified aqueous adhesive solutions were performed by means of atomic emission spectrometry. The amount of adhesive required per application according to manufacturer's instructions was determined by weight. Gum karaya containing adhesives had an acidic pH (pH < 5). The other adhesive formulations had a pH of about 7. No sodium was detected in gum karaya containing powder adhesives. The sodium content of the other adhesive formulations varied between 1.1 and 8.7 g/100 g. The amount of powder adhesive required for an application in an upper and lower complete denture was respectively 0.2 g and 0.1 g. To provide a denture with a cream or liquid adhesive 0.2 to 0.3 g material was required. Based on the data from this study it was calculated that denture adhesive applications three times a day in both upper and lower complete denture could result in a supplementary daily sodium intake of 0.9 to 6.0 mmol Na+/day.