Use of social media by parents as a resource for knowledge on children's oral health: a systematic review.

Abstract

Objective: This review aimed to explore how parents employ social media as an educational platform for their children's oral health and to review the content quality shared across different social media platforms.

Method: PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase databases were searched for relevant literature published between 1998 and 2023. With the use of inclusion and exclusion criteria, the remaining articles were reviewed.

Results: Twenty-six (26) studies met the inclusion criteria, of which 5 studies (19%) suggested that active engagement of parents in social media-based educational initiatives can enhance the oral health-related behaviours of their children. Nineteen studies (73%) recommended that efforts be made to generate instructive and standardized videos for use in social media by oral health professionals. Two studies (8%) suggested that social media platforms serve as a means for parents to promote oral health in children, fostering awareness and education in a widely accessible and engaging manner.

Discussion: According to this review, social media is a driving force in disseminating information to parents regarding children's oral health, but standardization of the information must be implemented.

Conclusion: Social media networks play crucial roles in informing, educating, and motivating parents to improve the overall oral health of their children.