Differences between herbal and nonherbal users in dental practice

The purposes of this study were to describe basic demographics and health belief differences between herb users and nonherb users, any potential herb-drug interactions, and examine the association between dental chart noted and questionnaire self-reported use of herbal remedies.

A 3-part survey instrument was administered to a convenience sample of 149 individuals at a dental clinic and two dental practices. The first part ascertained demographic information and prescription drug use using open-ended and closed-ended questions. The second part listed 51 individual/combination herbs and the third part assessed healthcare behavior using a 5-point Likert scale. A chart audit compared written responses between a patient's medical/dental history chart and his/her survey on herbal use. Descriptive analyses and MANOVA were used to examine the relationship between herbal users and nonusers.

Eighty participants (54%) reported using some form of herbs. They were characterized as mostly female (71%), who were less likely to disclose herbal usage to practitioners (p< .05), believed in herbal effectiveness (p< .05), and reported a more positive perceived level of health status compared to nonusers (p= .02). Although herb users reported a willingness to disclose use of herbs to health practitioners, only three patients had any written documentation of their herb use in their medical/dental health chart (p= .0001). Fifty-five herb users were also taking prescription drugs (69%) that could potentially lead to herb-drug interactions.

The findings provide supportive evidence that dental hygiene practitioners need to be aware of their patients' use of herbs. Knowing potential risks, side effects, and possible drug interactions is necessary for patient management and each patient's oral health.