Use and Abuse of Oral Self-care Substances among Civil Servants

Objective: To assess the pattern of oral self-care substance use and abuse among federal civil servants in Ibadan. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out using a three-stage cluster sample to select participants. Following a focus group discussion, data on socio-demographic characteristics, oral health behavior relating to self-care practices and patterns were obtained from the participants using a structured, pretested and self-administered questionnaire. A total of 400 civil servants were included in the study. Results: There were 207 (51.7%) males and 193 (48.3%) females. Mean age was 44.0±7.3 years. Two hundred and sixteen (54%) believed in the use of gin (alcohol), 18(4.5%) battery water, 50.25% warm salt water solution and 154(38.5%), local herbs and concoctions for a tooth ache problem. More than half 206(51.5%) confessed to ever experiencing a toothache of which 105 (51%) visited the dentist. About 35(17%) utilized gin (alcohol), 2(0.9%) battery water, 53(25.7%) warm saline solution, and 9(4.4%), local herbs and concoctions for the toothache and obtained relief, while the rest utilized, multiple forms of oral self care means. On preventive oral health care, 31% engaged in alcohol, 36.4% kolanut, 23.3% bitter-kola, 7.7% concoction among others. Use of various substances for preventive oral health care was found to increase with increasing age and lower levels of education and income (P< 0.0001). On teeth cleaning agents, use of toothbrush and paste only, formed the major 296(74%) cleaning devices utilized. The rest was shared among combined use with other agents such as chewing sticks(62%), alum(4%), charcoal(4%), sharps(11%), H2O2(5%), ash(2%), lime(3%). while 9% practiced the use of multiple substances for teeth cleaning. Conclusion: Oral self care with harmful substances was common practice among the civil servants. Strategic oral health education and promotion programmes are recommended for the civil servants. Key words – oral self care, civil servants, substance use.