Aim: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and practices of self-medication for dental conditions by parents for their children.
Subjects and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 188 mothers of children under 10 years of age who attended the department of Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and were statistically analyzed.
Results: One hundred thirty-nine respondents reported giving drugs to their children without the advice of a doctor or using previous prescriptions for the treatment of oral conditions. There was no statistically significant difference between the demographic data (age of the children, age of parents, and their educational level), and the self-medication.
Conclusion: The prevalence of self-medication by parents to their children for oral health problems was 73.94%, and was not significantly influenced by the age of the children or the education level of the parents.