Quality and readability of online information about root canal treatment and its outcomes: an infodemiological study

Abstract

Root canal treatment, also known as endodontic treatment, is a common dental procedure that involves the removal of inflamed or infected pulp tissue, followed by cleaning, disinfecting, filling, and sealing the canals. The aim of this study is to categorize the content and assess the quality and readability of the online information regarding root canal treatment and related outcomes. An online search using three different terms regarding the root canal treatment and related outcomes was undertaken using Google, Yahoo, and Bing search engines. The first 100 websites that appeared in each search were analyzed. Data recorded included DISCERN instrument scores, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks, and the presence of the health on the net seal (HON). Flesh reading ease scores, flesh-kincaid grade level, the simplified measure of Gobbledygook index, and the Coleman-Liau index were calculated to assess readability. Eighty-five of the first websites remained for analysis after applying appropriate exclusion criteria. The mean overall DISCERN score was 2.91 (+1.12). Only one website (1.17%) achieved all four JAMA benchmarks. Only 12 websites (14.1%) displayed the HON seal. The reading level varied from standard to difficult among the majority of websites. Based on this study, the online information regarding root canal treatment and related outcomes has challenging readability with content of poor quality. Further efforts should be made to create and maintain high-quality, reliable, and easily readable online information sources related to root canal treatment outcomes.