Analyzing Content and Information Quality of Instagram® Posts About #teethwhitening

Abstract

Objectives; Getting information on health issues from social media applications provides benefits to patients; however, different types of content can lead to the development of inappropriate norms. This study therefore aimed to evaluate the content and information quality of Instagram® posts about teeth whitening. Materials and Methods; The first 100 posts were included in the three search periods, which started in October 2022 and were carried out at two-week intervals. (n=300) The #teethwhitening hashtag, which was determined as a trend topic in each search period, was used. The content of the posts was analyzed over eight questions, whereas their general information quality was analyzed according to the modified DISCERN analysis on seven questions. The demographic data of the posts were evaluated in two parts: a) account and b) data of the post. The distribution of the user questions and other (#) hashtags mentioned in the posts were also analyzed. Results; 191 posts were excluded from the research. 42% (n=46) of the posts had “low” information content. In addition, the mean value of the content was 2.77 (min 0, max 8/n=109). The mean score in the modified DISCERN score was 11.83 (min 7, max 35/n=109). 53% (n= 57) of the posts were related either to prosthetic treatments alone or to combined treatments that included prosthetic procedures. Most of the posts mentioned the hashtag "#veneer/s". Questions such as cost, duration of treatment, and appointment procedures were also asked as comments under the posts. Conclusion; It can be stated that the content and information quality of Instagram® posts about #teethwhitening are insufficient and may direct patients to more interventional invasive treatment options.