title: Complementary and alternative medicine usage by patients of a dental school clinic.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Dentistry, The University of Iowa College of Dentistry, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. michael-spector@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Spector
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Deborah V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kummet
authors.forename: Nicole L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Nisly
authors.forename: Karen A K
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001416:Back Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D001945:Breathing Exercises; D002684:Chiropractic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003740:Dental Clinics; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007484:Iowa; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009974:Orthomolecular Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012067:Religion; D012575:Schools, Dental; D020947:Tea Tree Oil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014098:Toothache / Q000517:prevention & control; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020947:Tea Tree Oil