1Final Year BDS, Under Graduate Student, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha University, SIMATS, Chennai, India
2Tutor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha University, SIMATS, Chennai, India
3Reader, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha University, SIMATS, Chennai, India
4Professor, Department of Public Health dentistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha University, SIMATS, Chennai, India
5Reader, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha University, SIMATS, Chennai, India
The aim of this study is to assess the self-medication practice among dental students.
The descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among 100 patients reporting to the Saveetha Dental college. The patients were requested to answer the questionnaire. Datas were collected and analysed.
Self-medication is universal phenomenon and it is widely practiced worldwide and often considered as a use of self-care. Self Medication means taking drugs without the advice of a physician and getting treatment.
Findings revealed that 58% Respondent claimed to be involved in self medication. Drugs or drug groups commonly used for self-medication included analgesics (38%) followed by antibiotics (17%), antipyretics (15%), antidiarrhoeal (13%), antihistamines and antacids (6%) and vitamin tablets (5%). The disease for which self medications were commonly used were cough and common cold (35%) followed by fever (30%), diaarhoea (10%), allergy (8%), headache (6%), nausea and vomiting (7%) and ulcers (4%). 69% had no side effects and 31% had side effects
Self medications, Prevalence, dental students, questionnaire study
