Self Medication for Oral Health Problems in Cameroon

Overview

Journal Int Dent J

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Dentistry

Date 2011 Aug 20

PMID 21851352

Citations 21

Authors

Michael A Agbor

Clement C Azodo

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the use of self medication in oral health problems in Cameroon.

Methods: This multi-regional cross-sectional survey was conducted in three towns; Bamenda, Yaounde and Buea over a 10 month period. The questionnaire elicited information on demography, oral problem for self medication, substance used for self medication, source of the substance, duration of self medication, reason for self medication, source of advice of the drugs or those products used, opinion about the substance, effect and duration.

Results: The prevalence of self medication for oral health problems was 67.8% which was significantly associated with age, marital status and location. The most frequently self medicated oral health problem was toothache (54.7%). The majority (64.5%) of the respondents used pharmaceutical products while a minority (7.7%) used dangerous substances such as petrol and vinegar for self medication. Sources of substances of self medication included pharmacy (55.6%), road side vendors (26.1%), native healers (7.8%), mobile drug vendors in buses (5.3%), and others (5.3%). The choice of substances used for self medication was mostly guided by the advice from relatives.

Conclusion: The majority of the respondents self-medicated for oral health problems. Unmarried, urban residents, aged 21-30 years reported significantly increased self-medication for oral health problems. Evidently dangerous substances were utilised for self-medication in this study, necessitating awareness and other forms of intervention.

Citing Articles

Practice of self-medication to manage oral health issues in a community setting of Nepal.

Shrestha A, Bhagat T, Agrawal S, Gautam U, Joshi N BMC Oral Health. 2025; 25(1):32.

PMID: 39773239 PMC: 11705745. DOI: 10.1186/s12903-025-05421-8.

Systematic review of oral health in slums and non-slum urban settings of Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs): Disease prevalence, determinants, perception, and practices.

Osuh M, Oke G, Lilford R, Osuh J, Harris B, Owoaje E PLoS One. 2024; 19(11):e0309319.

PMID: 39514587 PMC: 11548750. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0309319.

Prevalence and causes of self-medication for oral health problems: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Katebi K, Eslami H, Jabbari S BMC Oral Health. 2024; 24(1):1115.

PMID: 39300478 PMC: 11414189. DOI: 10.1186/s12903-024-04900-8.

Self-medication for dental caries-associated toothache among dental outpatients attended at public health facilities in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: A cross-sectional study.

Sohal K, Jeremiah L, Okechi U, Agbor A Health Sci Rep. 2024; 7(9):e70032.

PMID: 39221048 PMC: 11365525. DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.70032.

Prevalence, practice, determinants and adverse effects of self-medication among young people living in a suburban community of Ekiti, Nigeria: A community-based cross-sectional study.

Tosin Anthony A, Olukayode A, Olusoji Abidemi S, Azeez Oyemomi I, Adefunke B, Ayodeji O SAGE Open Med. 2024; 12:20503121241261002.

PMID: 38911442 PMC: 11193929. DOI: 10.1177/20503121241261002.

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