Quality and accuracy of patient‐oriented Web‐based information regarding tooth avulsion

Abstract

Background/Aim Tooth avulsion (TA) is a severe form of traumatic dental injury. The tooth's prognosis depends on the immediate measures taken. First responders are often laypeople, and the Internet is a favored platform to access health‐related information. The aim of this descriptive study was to evaluate the accuracy, quality, readability, and popularity of patient‐oriented web information regarding the emergency management of TA. Methods Three search engines (Google, Bing, and Yahoo.com) were browsed with six VPNs using “knocked out tooth,” “fallen out tooth,” and “tooth avulsion” as keywords. The top 20 results for each were evaluated. Webpages were included if they had information oriented to caregivers. They were analyzed for accuracy (cutoff ≥95%). Quality of web pages was assessed using DISCERN and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark. Readability was evaluated using Flesch‐Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Gunning Fog (FOG), Coleman–Liau Index (CLI), and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG). Popularity was assessed by Alexa Popularity Rank (APR). Accurate and inaccurate webpages were compared using chi‐square analysis and the Mann–Whitney U test. Spearman's correlation between the studied metrics was established. A p < .05 was considered significant. Results Seventy‐two webpages were included, of which 23 (32%) were accurate. The median DISCERN ratings for accurate and inaccurate webpages were 3.0 [2.5–3.0] and 3.0 [2.0–3.0], respectively (p = .331). Ten (44%) accurate and 12 (24.5%) inaccurate webpages had high‐quality JAMA (p = .089). The median readability scores for accurate webpages were FKGL (8 [6.75–9.2]), FOG (10.6 [9.55–12.3]), CLI (7 [6–7]), SMOG (6.7 [6.15–7.5]), while scores for the inaccurate webpages were FKGL (7.85 [6.275–8.525]), FOG (10.55 [8.875–11.425]), CLI (7 [7–8.25]), and SMOG (7 [6.2–7.925]), with a higher CLI score for inaccurate webpages (p = .0035). The median APRs for accurate and inaccurate webpages were 1,02,538 [26,852–14,43,755] and 7,63,190 [2,19,799–29,92,067], respectively (p = .163). Accuracy had a positive correlation with quality (DISCERN: rho = .293, p = .013; JAMA: rho = .249, p = .036), while popularity (APR) was negatively correlated with quality (DISCERN: rho = −.330, p = .013; JAMA: rho = −.287, p = .032). Conclusion Relevant webpages were limited and had low accuracy. This can impact the emergency management by laypeople and adversely affect the prognosis following avulsion.

Readability and Quality Assessment of Web-Based Information Concerning Post-Endodontic Treatment Selection

“…According to the DISCERN score, Alpaydin et al found the highest rates in the very poor category at 43.3% and the poor category at 44.1% [23]. Considering similar studies, this rate was reported as 47.6% fair [12], approximately 50% fair [24], and poor information quality compared to the average score [25].…”

Dental Traumatology research and education—Foundations for a better tomorrow

“…An avulsed permanent tooth is a serious traumatic dental injury (TDI), which should be dealt with immediately 1,2 . The prognosis is very much dependent on decisions at the place of the accident and the time immediately after the avulsion has taken place 2 .…”

“…An avulsed permanent tooth is a serious traumatic dental injury (TDI), which should be dealt with immediately 1,2 . The prognosis is very much dependent on decisions at the place of the accident and the time immediately after the avulsion has taken place 2 . The preferred treatment for an avulsed permanent tooth is replanting the avulsed tooth back into its socket, which should be carried out as soon as possible to have the best outcome 2,3 .…”

“…The prognosis is very much dependent on decisions at the place of the accident and the time immediately after the avulsion has taken place 2 . The preferred treatment for an avulsed permanent tooth is replanting the avulsed tooth back into its socket, which should be carried out as soon as possible to have the best outcome 2,3 . If the tooth cannot be replanted immediately, it must be stored 3,4 .…”