Denture fixative composition with partially neutralized and crosslinked polyacrylic acid

A denture fixative composition which develops when contacted with saliva a high degree of tack and viscous mucilage which spreads over the denture-mucosa interface to fill the gaps therebetween and resists the stresses of mastication, comprising a dentally acceptable excipient and an effective denture fixative amount of a combination of (a) polyacrylic acid which has been partially neutralized by at least one monovalent cation and partially crosslinked by at least one agent selected from the group consisting of the salts, bases and oxides of divalent cations and polyhydroxy compounds such that 20-90% of the initial carboxyl groups have been neutralized or crosslinked, wherein a 1% aqueous solution of said partially neutralized and crosslinked polyacrylic acid has a pH of at least about 4.5, or a precursor combination of polyacrylic acid, neutralizing agent and crosslinking agent or of partially neutralized polyacrylic acid and crosslinking agent or of partially crosslinked polyacrylic acid and neutralizing agent, said precursor combination adapted to form said partially neutralized and crosslinked polyacrylic acid in an aqueous environment, and (b) at least one hydrophilic polymer selected from the group consisting of guar, alginate, karaya and xanthan gums, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, and methyl cellulose.