Study of Dental Pain Experience and Healthcare-Seeking Behaviour Among Adults in Rural Communities in Benue State

Dental pain is among the most debilitating untreated health conditions in rural Nigerian communities, and understanding healthcare-seeking behaviour in this context supports the design of accessible dental services. This study examined the prevalence of dental pain and healthcare-seeking behaviour among adults in Makurdi, Otukpo, and Gboko Local Government Areas, Benue State, North Central Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey of 420 adults aged 18 years and above was conducted using multistage random sampling. A structured questionnaire assessed dental pain history in the preceding 12 months, severity, actions taken for relief, barriers to formal dental care, and source of dental information. Results showed that 48.1 percent reported dental pain in the preceding year. Self-medication with over-the-counter analgesics was the most common initial response (62.3 percent of those with pain), while 28.4 percent used traditional remedies. Only 19.7 percent of those with pain visited a dentist. The primary barriers were cost (74.5 percent), perceived lack of severity (43.2 percent), and distance to dental facility (38.7 percent). Awareness of dental pain as a treatable condition was limited. Higher educational attainment was significantly associated with dentist-seeking behaviour. The study concludes that dental pain is prevalent and largely self-managed in rural Benue communities. Recommendations include mobile dental outreach units, integration of pain assessment into primary healthcare, and community oral health education through health extension workers.

Keywords: dental pain, healthcare-seeking behaviour, rural communities, Benue State, barriers to dental care