Attitude and practice of pharmacist towards oral healthcare and oral hygiene products: An exploratory study

The aim of this study was to assess Knowledge, attitude and practice of pharmacists regarding oral healthcare and oral hygiene products in Qazvin, Iran. This is a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study conducted in Qazvin, Iran. The study group was included of 147 pharmacists who recruited to participate in this study. A self-administered structured validated closed-ended questionnaire was developed for this purpose. Statistic alanalysis were done using SPSS version 22. Of the total study group, 100 pharmacists responded to the questionnaire and participated in the study.35% of the respondents had not met the dentists practicing close to their pharmacies, nor were they aware of the opening times of the practice. Most of the pharmacists stocked oral health-related products, which comprised of less than 15% of their total stock. Toothpaste was the most common among the oral healthcare products stocked, followed by toothbrushes and mouth rinses. A total of 38% pharmacists expressed an interest in further developing their oral healthcare knowledge through course attendance or oral health programs. Toothache or mouth ulcers were the most common dental problem for which patients approached the pharmacists for advice. Pharmacists advised patients complaining of dental pain to consult a dentist in 55% of cases, dispensed painkiller in 2% of cases, and in 5% of cases dispensed an antibiotic. The community pharmacists in Qazvin are under-used in the promotion of oral health. There is a need for training of pharmacists and providing them with access to information on available dental service and oral health products.