Coping with tooth pain: a qualitative study of lay management strategies and professional consultation

Abstract

This research analyzes transcripts of semi-structured interviews with patients presenting with tooth pain at a rural dental clinic in North Florida. The primary objectives are to identify the strategies patients use to manage their pain and to elucidate the decision-making process leading to the clinic visit. Although respondents understood that their condition was not self-limiting, only about one-half contacted the clinic within several days of the onset of their pain. Most tried one or more lay management strategies.

Coping with Toothache Pain: A Qualitative Study of Low‐Income Persons and Minorities

“…Thus, it appears that in general participants used self‐care strategies out of their self‐defined necessity, not in preference to professional dental care services. This finding is consistent with other reports that found treatment delays were not caused by misperceptions regarding the progression of toothache pain, but resulted from competing demands for scarce resources (7), or unfounded beliefs and attitudes.…”

“…Focus group participants used numerous prescription and nonprescription medications, over‐the‐ counter products, as well as home remedies and other self‐care strategies in their quest for pain relief. These findings are consistent with prior reports (7–9, 13, 19, 20). A number of participants mentioned taking drastic actions to obtain pain relief, including rinsing with caustic substances such as gasoline, kerosene, and rubbing alcohol, as well as self‐extractions and extractions performed by nondentists.…”

Self medication for oral health problems in Cameroon

“…Available literature shows the link between self medication and socioeconomic status. For example, self‐care strategies for toothache usually take precedence over professional health services among low income adults in Maryland 14 and individuals seeking care in a rural dental clinic in north Florida 15 Kouame et al. 16 reported self medication to be one of the most frequent causes of late odontostomatologic consultations.…”

Tooth Loss Occurring at a Place Other than a Health-care Facility: 72-month Incidence

“…"Unconventional" medicine was defined as medical interventions not taught widely at medical schools. Researchers have begun to incorporate indicators of lay treatment strategies into studies of illness behavior (e.g., McElroy and Jezewksi, 2000;Stoller et al, 2002). One study (Stoller et al, 1994) found that about 2% of persons recommended self-treatments that a panel of clinicians considered "definitely harmful", while about 71% mentioned treatments judged "conditionally harmful".…”