Attitude and Awareness of Dentists Practicing in Southern India Toward Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs

BACKGROUND: Pain management is an everyday challenge in dentistry. Analgesics are the group of drugs prescribed for effective pain management, of which nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly prescribed drugs. Selection of NSAIDs must be judiciously made considering their pharmacological properties and adverse effects. AIM: This study aimed to analyze the attitude toward analgesic prescription among practicing dentists and the awareness to update their knowledge about them. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried out among 100 dental practitioners, where a questionnaire consisting of 16 questions was formulated based on the awareness of indication and contraindication, actual practice, and required future trends for updating the knowledge. The questionnaire was distributed among the practitioners; the answered questionnaire was collected and tabulated. Statistical analysis included χ(2) test to evaluate the significance. RESULTS: Of 100 dental practitioners, 63% prescribed drugs based on the diagnosis. Aceclofenac was found to be the effective drug in postoperative pain management, whereas paracetamol was considered to be the safest among NSAIDs in clinical conditions such as bleeding disorders, gastric irritation, chronic kidney disease, and during pregnancy. All practicing dentists showed their willingness to participate in awareness programs in updating their knowledge. CONCLUSION: This study showed that dental clinical practitioners are well aware of the drugs to be prescribed in different clinical conditions but pitfalls have been observed in areas of systemic complication, where continuous educational programs are needed to overcome the same.