ORAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL MEDIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY EXPLORING ORAL MISINFORMATION AND FACTS IN WESTERN REGION OF SAUDI ARABIA

Aim of the study This study aimed to examine the prevalence of dental misinformation and its association with social media platforms used by individuals in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods An online survey was administered to 700 participants. The survey gathered demographic data and included questions regarding social media usage, dental health myths and facts, dietary factors that influence caries prevention, and the relationship between systemic diseases and periodontal conditions. Additionally, the survey assessed participants' knowledge of the concept of the "Hollywood smile" across various social media platforms. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were used for data analysis. Results Out of 481 completed surveys, most of the participants were female (85.7%), aged 18-25 years (40.5%), held a bachelor's degree (64.9%), and resided in the Makkah region (81.1%). Snapchat was the most frequently used platform (41.6%). Approximately 60% of participants reported relying on the opinions of dentists based on their professional experience and expertise. Participants who used X (formerly Twitter) demonstrated the highest proportion of correct responses r