Prevalence of self-medication by parents for various oral health-related problems in their children – A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Abstract Background: Self-medication (SM) refers to taking medicine without consultation with a doctor or dentist and it is an important health issue. Drug utilization patterns in children is of great concern universally and has gained a lot of attention. With regard to pediatric patients, such practices are entirely under the control of the parent. Aim: This study aims to assess the prevalence of SM by parents for various oral health related problems of children below 15 years of age. Materials and Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted for 1 year at schools in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. The study population included 323 parents of children aged up to 15 years. Data were collected from parents to record their sociodemographic information, prevalence of SM along with questions regarding the practice of SM. Fischer’s exact test was used to compare prevalence of SM with age, gender, education, and socioeconomic status (SES) of parent’s. Results: The prevalence of SM was 35% which was significantly influenced by the age of child and parent (P = 0.03), whereas nonsignificantly associated with parents gender (P = 0.502), educational level (P = 0.42), and SES (P = 0.137). Most common dental condition and reason for which SM was practiced is tooth pain (76.1%) and expensive dental treatment (39.8%), respectively. Conclusion: The prevalence of SM was low. SM practice is common in parents of age group ≥40 years and in children above 5 years. Clinical Significance: SM can cause unintentional self-harm. SM with antibiotics have been identified as one of the primary reasons for the evolution of antimicrobial resistance.