The Most Common Presenting Complaints of Patients Attending Dental OPD

Objective: To determine the proportion of common presenting complaints among patients presenting at dental OPD and to evaluate the commonest dental issues in our population. Methodology: A cross-section observational study was carried out at dental OPD of Bibi Assefa Dental College Larkana, from May 2022 to October 2022. Patients aged 18 years old or above, those who were presented at dental OPD of either gender, were included. The questionnaire was used to collect the data and divided into two parts, demographic details and chief complaints. Clinical?examination was conducted to confirm the presented complaints including dental pain, dental caries, periodontal diseases, tooth sensitivity, tooth loss, oral ulcers and others. Data was entered and analyzed by SPSS version 25. Results: Overall mean age of 99 patients was 38.34 years. Most frequent presenting complaints of the 99 patients revealed that pain 63.6%, 37.4% dental caries, gingivitis and gum problems 33.3%. Post-filling complaints were 24.2%, while 21.2% expressed concerns about aesthetic issues and 31.3% had sensitivity, while 36.4% of patients had other complaints. Furthermore, the analysis of presenting complaints by gender in 99 patients revealed no significant gender differences in most complaints. p->0.05. Conclusion: Study revealed common dental issues such as pain, dental caries, gingivitis, sensitivity, and aesthetic concerns. The results suggest that dental problems, including caries, gum issues, and post-filling complications, are prevalent across both genders, highlighting the need for comprehensive oral care and preventive strategies.