K. Vidya

Antifungal-prescribing pattern and attitude toward the treatment of oral candidiasis among dentists in and around Kothamangalam in Kerala: A survey

Context: Dentists come across various clinical entities of candidiasis and prescribe antifungals for its treatment. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the attitude of dentists in and around Kothamangalam in Kerala toward the treatment of oral candidiasis and their current antifungal-prescribing pattern. Settings and Design: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among the dental surgeons working in and around Kothamangalam, a small town in Ernakulam district, Kerala. Participants and Methods: The potential participants of the survey were identified from the faculty list of the three dental colleges as well as from the general practitioners list of Kothamangalam. A total of 150 questionnaires were distributed among dentist practitioners in Kerala. Of the 122 dentists responded, 22 were rejected due to insufficient data. The data from the remaining 100 questionnaires were entered for analysis. Statistical Analysis Used: The data were manually entered for analysis in the online portal - http://www.SurveyMonkey.com, and the analysis was performed. Results: Clotrimazole was the most common (71%) antifungal prescribed by the practitioners. Only 13% of the dentists prescribed antifungals systemically. Conclusions: Most dentists preferred topical treatment for the management of candidiasis. Clotrimazole is the most popular choice of antifungal employed followed by nystatin.