Abstract

Aim and objectives: This study aimed to identify self-care remedies used to relieve dental pain among Sudanese in Khartoum state, 2016-2017, with assessment of related concerns such as predisposing reasons, and consequences associated with this usage. Methods and tools: The appropriate sample was obtained by non-probability purposive sampling technique. The data were collected by investigator-handled community-based questionnaire and all statistical analysis was done using IBM statistical package of social science (SPSS) statistics version 22. Results: The study included 384 participants (75.5% male, and 24.5% female). Age of the participants started from 18 years old with most of the respondents aged between third to fifth decades of life. The most frequently used remedy was cloves (33.8%) alongside with a wide variety of other remedies. The potentiating factors for this usage included personal preference (47.4%), self apprehension (23.7%), high costs and lack of dental health services (22.4% and 5.2% respectively) and combination of some reasons. Although a number of complications were associated with those remedies such as pain (7.5%), burning sensation (4.2%), irritation (2.3%), discoloration (2.1%), bad smell (1.3%), 73.2% of participants stated that they would encourage other people to use those self-care remedies. This suggests a low level of awareness about the risk of oral health problems among the study population. Conclusion: Cloves is the most commonly used self-care remedy by the participants. Personal preference, among others, is the most predisposing motive for this usage. Upgrading awareness about risk of oral health problems, expanding health insurance services to include dental health care services, and demonstration of rational use of over-the-counter medicaments is needed.