Downplay distress at dentures (10)
I believe the answer is:
understate
'downplay' is the definition.
(I know that downplay can be written as understate)
'distress at dentures' is the wordplay.
'distress' indicates an anagram.
'at'+'dentures'='atdentures'
'atdentures' anagrammed gives 'UNDERSTATE'.
(Other definitions for understate that I've seen before include "Downplay" , "Speak with restraint" , "Play down" , "Minimise the significance of (something)" , "Represent as less important" .)