YouTube^™ as a source for patient education about the management of dental avulsion injuries

Background/aims: Traumatic dental injuries, including avulsion, are relatively common, with a reported prevalence of up to 4.5%. The Internet and video-sharing websites are frequently used as a resource for patient accessible health information. YouTube^™ , the online video leader, is a popular choice with patients, who decide to seek advice when managing an avulsed tooth. The aim of this study was to examine the quality of information offered by videos on YouTube^™ for those individuals seeking information regarding the emergency management of an avulsed tooth. The quality of information was compared to the guidelines of the International Association of Dental Traumatology (IADT).

Methods: YouTube^™ was searched systematically for videos on avulsion using the terms 'knocked tooth out' and 'dental avulsion'. Strict inclusion and exclusion criteria were adhered to, and videos were assessed on several variables. The usefulness of the selected videos in providing adequate information about avulsed teeth was then evaluated using a 9-point score based on the IADT guidelines. Descriptive statistics were consequently generated.

Results: A total of 120 videos were analysed, 13% (n = 16) of which met the inclusion-exclusion criteria. Most had been uploaded by healthcare professionals (81%, n = 13) in the United States (63%, n = 10). Videos had generally low completeness scores (mean: 4.375 ± 1.9; range: 2-7). Completeness was not affected significantly, either by viewers' interactions or by the date of upload.

Conclusion: YouTube^™ generally hosts videos with low usefulness with regard to the management of avulsed teeth. Therefore, dentists should be aware of this resource and warn parents/carers regarding the reliability of information and the misleading content which is available on YouTube^™ videos.