Use of digital platforms and social media as a source of information on children's oral health by parents: a cross-sectional survey analysis in a Spanish sample

Aim To identify the primary social media and digital platforms used by parents and/or caregivers of children, analysing search habits regarding interests in OH, the frequency of usage, and the level of reliability attributed to the consulted platforms. Methods A cross-sectional analysis with an anonymous survey was conducted. Following a non-probabilistic sampling, parents or caregivers were invited to complete a 14 questions’ survey. A descriptive and analytical statistical analysis were conducted with a 95% level of confidence. Results A total of 112 surveys were obtained, mainly filled by females (70.5%) between 31 and 40 years (57.1%). Mostly of the respondents (61.3%) stated that the search for information about their children’s OH, being the main reason for searching interest in the topic, and the device more used the mobile phone. Maternity websites were the first search choice, followed by Instagram® and scientific databases. Half of the studied sample (52.7%) consider the information as not very reliable or not reliable at all, most respondents stated that they consulted with family and friends. Conclusion Most parents search for information about their children’s OH on online platforms. Only 21.74% of respondents verified the information with a paediatric dentist, rating the information as not very reliable or moderately reliable.