Abstract

Introduction: The practice of self-medication is widespread worldwide. When people self-medicate, they run the risk of misdiagnosis, drug resistance or enhanced pathogen resistance, excessive dosage, expired medication, prolonged usage, drug interactions, and polypharmacy. Aim: The purpose of this study is to find out how common self-medication is among adult dental pain patients and what characteristics are linked to these behaviours. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was observational. A total of 200 participants were included in the current study after fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After conducting a pilot research, the required modifications were made to the self-administered, closed-ended questionnaire that was constructed by analysing several studies. The participant received counselling on self-medication while filling out the questionnaire, and the completed form was gathered. Following data collection, errors and omissions were verified, and the findings were assessed and examined. Results: 178 people (89%) used self-medication. There were 94 (52.8%) females and 84 (47.2%) men. The patients' ages ranged from 18 to 60 years old, with the majority falling between 25 and 35 years old. Of the responders, 86 (48.3%) had completed higher education. A total of 96 patients (51.3%) used painkillers on their own due to excruciating pain in certain situations. In our study sample, family/friend advice accounted for the majority of selfmedication (42.6%), with chemist advice coming in second (21.3%). A maximum of 97 people, or 54.4%, used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications or painkillers for self-medication. Conclusion: In our investigation, we found that self-medication was quite prevalent. People need to be made aware of the risks associated with drug use without thought. The community has to enforce drug control policies more strictly with relation to prescription and drug availability. Keywords: Drug Resistance, Enhanced Pathogen Resistance, Excessive Dosage, Misdiagnosis, Self-Medication.