Self‐medication for dental caries‐associated toothache among dental outpatients attended at public health facilities in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: A cross‐sectional study

Background and aim Self‐medication is a common practice worldwide, and its prevalence ranges between 20% and 80% among patients suffering from dental pain. The socioeconomic status of an individual plays a key role in self‐medication practice, especially sex and education level. This study aims to investigate the extent of self‐medication practice for toothache due to dental caries among adults in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods This was an analytical cross‐sectional study carried out over 6 months. It included adult patients presenting with toothache in public dental clinics. A questionnaire captured information on demography, self‐medication practice, the substance used for self‐medication, duration of self‐medication, and reason for self‐medication. Univariate analysis was carried out to assess factors associated with self‐care remedies. The probability level of α