Self-Medication Profile of Adult Patients with Temporomandibular Disorders in Southeast Brazil

Abstract

Background: Patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) often have orofacial pain and may use medication without professional prescription. Self-medication and inappropriate drug intake may cause serious health problems. This cross-sectional study evaluated the self-medication profile of TMD patients, the most used medications and their effect, and the relation between self-medication and socioeconomic factors.
 Methods: A non-representative sample (n=358) consisted of consecutive adult patients seeking TMD treatment in specialized referral centers for orofacial pain of two universities in São Paulo city, Brazil. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect the study variables before the TMD treatment: self-medication history, TMD pain intensity, sex, age, ethnicity, marital status, schooling and socioeconomic levels. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and logistic regression models at the 0.05 significance level.
 Results: Almost 60% of 358 TMD patients reported self-medication. Patients with severe TMD were 4.7 times more likely to self-medicate when compared to patients with low TMD intensity (O=5.7; 95% CI=2.4; 13.3; P=0.043), as well as female patients were 30% more likely to self-medicate compared to male patients (OR=2.3; 95% CI=1.1; 5.1; P<0.001). The other independent variables were not associated with self-medication. The frequencies of moderate and severe TMD in women were larger than in those in men (P<0.001). Analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs were the most used medications. Regarding medication efficacy, 82% of patients reported some improvement after use, but 9% reported side-effect sickness.
 Conclusion: Self-medication is common among TMD patients attending specialized clinics, and this inappropriate practice is more likely to occur in women and in patients with severe signs and symptoms of TMD.

Analysis of risk factors and interactions for pain in temporomandibular disorder: A cross‐sectional study

“…Herein, previous use of pain medication was associated with higher TMD pain. This is consistent with previous findings of a 4.7‐fold increase in self‐medication among patients with severe compared to low TMD pain 29 . Analgesics and anti‐inflammatory drugs are commonly used.…”

“…This is consistent with previous findings of a 4.7fold increase in self-medication among patients with severe compared to low TMD pain. 29 Analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs are commonly used. Owing to the association between TMJ synovitis and TMD pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including ibuprofen, can be used for the symptomatic treatment of painful TMDs.…”