Evaluation of chief complaints of patients and prevalence of self-medication for dental problems: an institutional study

Abstract

Background: The importance of oral heath in the general wellbeing of our health is still largely undervalued. The current study was designed to comprehend the details of chief complaints and self-medication of the patients visiting a dental hospital in Mumbai. The level of awareness of the patients and its association with the practice of self-medication was also explored in the study. Methods: 300 randomly selected patients reporting to Nair Hospital Dental College were surveyed to conduct this clinical, observational, cross sectional, single center study. A specially designed and validated questionnaire consisting of 14 close ended questions was provided to the patients in the language of their convenience. Results: The most common chief complaint recorded among the dental patients was dental pain. This was followed by swelling, mobility and tooth replacement. The patients reported that most of them had experienced multiple dental problems before and did not report to the dental healthcare provider. 81% of the patients reported that they had practiced some form of self-medication for dental problems. 56.33% of them used analgesics, the pharmacy and over the counter drugs were the most common sources. A number of reasons were reported for the use of these drugs and the most common reason was to get quick or temporary relief but the patients did not report to the health care provider unless the symptoms got severe. Finally a significant relationship was recorded between the level of awareness of patients about the ill effects of self- medication and the prevalence of its practice among dental patients. Conclusions: More attention should be drawn towards the big impact of dental and oral health on the general well-being of the patients. The ethical use of medication should be encouraged not only by ensuring stringent rules governing the distribution of drugs but also by educating patients about the numerous risks involved with the practice of self-medication.

The motives for seeking dental health services in a sample of children attending a College of Dentistry.

“…2 Dhaimade and Banga in India performed a study on 300 randomly selected patients reporting to Nair Hospital Dental College ranging and found the most common chief complaint recorded among the dental patients was dental pain, this was followed by swelling, mobility and tooth replacement. 6 So our result was in accordance with the findings other researchers. 6,8,9,11,12,20 Findings of this study reveal that most people appear to seek treatment only when acute disturbing symptoms such as pain is apparent.…”

“…6 So our result was in accordance with the findings other researchers. 6,8,9,11,12,20 Findings of this study reveal that most people appear to seek treatment only when acute disturbing symptoms such as pain is apparent. Demanding treatment at late stages may relate to several psychosocial factors such as dental anxiety states, financial costs, perceptions of need, and lack of access.…”

“…12 and disagreed with previous research. 2,6,11 Most of the children where brought for oral hygiene in the age group <5-year-old were 45.2% for preventive treatment. This could be due to the awareness regarding dental health among the parents, in the region and children in this age were under control from parents.…”

“…The dental visit should be done in correct time since it plays an essential part in the child's oral health. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] The child's first dental visit helps in determining the quality of the preventive dental care that the child will receive and, thus, the future oral health of the child. 1 A chief complaint is defined as a subjective statement provided by a patient that describes the most significant or serious symptoms or signs of illness or dysfunction that caused him or her to seek a health care provider.…”

“…This leads to serious dental problems. 6,17 The ignorance of seeking dental treatment at initial stages of disease leads the tooth to an advanced stage of dental decay which is commonly beyond repair and consequently these delays lead to extraction of the tooth. 18 Patients who suffer from severe dental and facial pain that is not c o n t r o l l a b l e b y o v e r -t h e -c o u n t e r preparations, as well as the dental and soft tissues, acute infections, uncontrollable dental hemorrhage, dental trauma or rapidly increasing facial swellings require urgent dental care.…”