Is the quality of the orthodontic information in social media platforms reliable?

Background

Social networks have become a widely used and accessible source of health-related information for patients, but this material is not always accurate or appropriate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of orthodontic information available on 2 of the most popular social media platforms.

Studies Reviewed

The authors conducted a systematic search of the literature that analyzed the quality of information regarding orthodontics on social networks and used recognized quality-evaluation methods, such as DISCERN, modified DISCERN, and the Quality Global Scale or the Video Information Quality Index, in the electronic databases of PubMed, Embase, and Scopus and through a manual search of gray literature.

Results

The authors identified a total of 534 potentially eligible articles, of which 22 eventually were included in the qualitative analysis. The application of the scales revealed that most of the content was of insufficient quality and lacked scientific rigor, precision, and support from reliable sources. The authors observed marked heterogeneity in the nature of the publications analyzed, with the most recurrent topics being general orthodontic treatment and the use of clear aligners.

Practical Implications

Social media platforms provide low-quality information to patients, which potentially can be harmful. These findings underscore the need to offer alternative ways to resolve patient queries before and during treatment and highlight the importance of promoting informed and responsible education regarding online information on orthodontic treatments.