title: Knowledge and attitudes of pharmacists regarding oral health care and oral hygiene products in Chennai city.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was done to find out the knowledge and attitudes of pharmacists regarding oral health care and oral hygiene products in Chennai city.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey among a sample of the pharmacists in Chennai city was done and data regarding their knowledge and attitudes towards oral health care and oral hygiene products were obtained using a closed-ended questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 60 pharmacies approached, 50 pharmacists participated in the study and completed the questionnaire. Though 48% of the participants gave a positive answer when asked whether they had met the dentist practicing close to their pharmacies, the frequency with which they met the dentist ranged from once a week (24%) to once a month (28%). Most of the pharmacists stocked oral health-related products, which comprised 15-25% of their total stock. Of these products toothpaste was the most common (62%), followed by mouth rinses (12%). Toothache or painful teeth was the most common dental problem (78%) for which patients approached the pharmacists for advice. With regard to the advice given, 38.5% of the pharmacists asked the patient to consult a nearby dentist after dispensing medications, while 22.4% of the pharmacists dispensed antibiotics and painkillers without any referral. Seventy percent of the pharmacists expressed interest in giving oral health care advice to patients. However, many of them (38%) felt that lack of proper knowledge is a barrier to providing oral health care advice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is clear from the present study that pharmacists are presently an underutilized resource, and there is a definitive need to improve their training and access to information on available dental services.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, Ragas Dental College and Hospital, 2/102 East Coast Road, Uthandi, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: Shanmuga
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Priya
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Madan Kumar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology*; D003815:Dentists; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000523:psychology*; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000523:psychology*; D024382:Professional Role; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires