Self Medication among Dental Patients Visiting Tertiary Care Hospital, During COVID-19

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate trends in self-medication practices among dental patients during the period of lockdown. Self-medication or using drugs without prescription of a doctor is a common practice round the world since a long time. During lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic all the dental facilities were either closed or were only offering emergency-treatments, therefore lack of services led general population to the practice of self-medication. This should be taken in account for the health and safety of patients. METHODOLOGY: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted among the dental OPD patients visiting a tertiary care hospital post COVID-19 lockdown, from 20th September,2020 to 5th December 2020. Sample size was 451 and study participants were selected by convenient sampling technique. RESULTS: A total of 389 out of 451 patients self-medicated (383 females and 68 males). Most common reason was tooth ache (56.8%) followed by sensitivity of teeth (37.5%) and dental trauma (3.8%) was the least common reason. Hence, Pain relievers (68.5%) were used by most of the patients followed by antibiotics (35.5%). Prevalence was higher in patients of low socioeconomic status. Most of the patients thought self-medication practice to be acceptable. CONCLUSION: It was distressing that Self-medication practices among dental patients showed a remarkable increase during period of COVID-19 Pandemic as most of them had practiced self-medication, most commonly for relief from toothache. This issue, being a sensitive one needs to be given required consideration. KEYWORDS: Self-medication, COVID-19, pandemic, Dental OPD, Pain relievers, Tooth ache.