Premium
Complementary and alternative medicine usage by patients of a dental school clinic
Author(s) -
Spector Michael L.,
Fischer Mark,
Dawson Deborah V.,
Holmes David C.,
Kummet Colleen,
Nisly Nicole L.,
Baker Karen A. K.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
special care in dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.328
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1754-4505
pISSN - 0275-1879
DOI - 10.1111/j.1754-4505.2012.00273.x
Subject(s) - medicine , family medicine , alternative medicine , oral medicine , dentistry , traditional medicine , pathology
This pilot study investigated the prevalence and specific reasons for usage of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among patients of a dental school clinic. Four hundred and two patients completed a 30‐page survey on CAM usage. A higher rate of CAM usage was found in this dental school clinic population than rates previously reported in a general population. More than three‐quarters (76.1%) of the respondents reported using at least one CAM treatment in the past 12 months; 93.3% reported using at least one CAM treatment at some time in their lives. High rates of chiropractic use were found in this population. Tooth pain was the most frequently reported dental condition motivating CAM use. About 10% of dental school clinic patients use topical oral herbal and/or natural products to treat dental conditions, most frequently for preventive/oral health reasons or for tooth pain.