Abstract: Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify common herbal medicines used and determine the prevalence of usage among adults attending an urban dental hygiene clinic. There has been a rapid increase in the nationwide use of non-regulated, readily available, herbal alternative medicines. Patients do consider these remedies therapeutic, but not in the same class as prescription medications. Some herbal medicines show an unfavorable risk-benefit profile, such as bleeding and immunosuppression. Previous studies have shown that patients do not consult their physician prior to or during herbal medicine consumption. Materials and Methods. Exempt review was sought and obtained from the institutional review board at the University of New England. A records review was conducted for one academic year to determine usage and prevalence of herbal or alternative medicines. Selection criteria included a consecutive sample of all adults 18 years of age and older (N = 1,694) from an urban dental hygiene clinic. The sample was taken for two uninterrupted semesters. Results. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze results for frequency. Of the patients interviewed for prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal or alternative medications, a subset (n = 134) of 8% reported use of herbal or alternative medicines. This compared to studies reporting national surveys at 9.6%. Results from literature reports range between 4.8% and 13.0%. Sixteen herbal alternative medicines were identified as commonly consumed by individual included in this study. Echinacea, glucosamine, garlic, gingko, ginseng, and brewers yeast were identified as the top six used. Conclusion. People do use herbal medications, some of which can have oral health implications. This study shows usage to be consistently prevalent when correlated with other studies. Dental hygienists should understand and inquire about usage of herbal medicines. Dental hygienists need to be vigilant when interviewing for herbal or alternative medication use for safe practice
Subjects: Dental Hygiene; Medicine, Herbal Utilization