Assessment of the Arabic patient-centered online information about orthodontic pain: A quality and readability assessment.

BACKGROUND: This study assesses the quality and readability of Arabic online information about orthodontic pain. With the increasing reliance on the internet for health information, especially among Arabic speakers, it's critical to ensure the accuracy and comprehensiveness of available content. Our methodology involved a systematic search using the Arabic term for (Orthodontic Pain) in Google, Bing, and Yahoo. This search yielded 193,856 results, from which 74 websites were selected based on predefined criteria, excluding duplicates, scientific papers, and non-Arabic content. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For quality assessment, we used the DISCERN instrument, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmarks, and the Health on the Net (HON) code. Readability was evaluated using the Simplified Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG), Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES), and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) scores. RESULTS: Results indicated that none of the websites received the HONcode seal. The DISCERN assessment showed median total scores of 14.96 (± 5.65), with low overall quality ratings. In JAMA benchmarks, currency was the most achieved aspect, observed in 45 websites (60.81%), but none met all four criteria simultaneously. Readability scores suggested that the content was generally understandable, with a median FKGL score of 6.98 and a median SMOG score of 3.98, indicating middle school-level readability. CONCLUSION: This study reveals a significant gap in the quality of Arabic online resources on orthodontic pain, highlighting the need for improved standards and reliability. Most websites failed to meet established quality criteria, underscoring the necessity for more accurate and trustworthy health information for Arabic-speaking patients.

Assessment of Quality and Readability of Web-Based Arabic Knowledge About Cleft Lip and/or Palate: An Infodemiology Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality and readability of the Arabic web-based information about cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P).Materials and Method: Searching in three engines and checking eligibility for the first 300 websites. The quality of the included websites (72) was assessed using the DISCERN questionnaire, JAMA benchmarks, and HON code. The readability of the websites was assessed using three readability tests: FKGL, SMOG, and FRE. Then, data analysis was done. RESULTS: All checked websites were partly related to CL/P and contained medical facts. The affiliation of most of the websites was commercial 33 (45.8%). The mean overall DISCERN score was 2.87 (± 1.61). The maximum score was not achieved by any website, and only one (1.4%) website had the minimum score. For JAMA benchmarks, the currency was the most achieved item in 39 (54.2%) websites, and none of the websites achieved the four items. Only one website had the HON code. Based on the FRE scale, the level was very easy for most of the websites 57 (79.2%). CONCLUSION: The available content about CL/P is readable but with moderate to poor quality and trustfulness. Undoubtedly, there is a serious need to increase and improve the quality of the web-based Arabic population's knowledge about CL/P, especially by governmental institutions and universities. Establishing specialized websites for CL/P is also needed.

Assessment of the Relation Between Patterns of Third-Molar Impaction and Blood Group: A Retrospective Study.

Background The prevalence of impacted third molars is high in the global general population. The etiology of impacted third molars is not fully understood, but it is thought to result from combined genetic and environmental factors. Some studies have suggested a link between the blood group and the risk of impacted third molars. This study aimed to investigate the association between the blood group and the presence of impacted third molars and its pattern. Method A total of 856 panoramic radiographs were included in the study. The third molars were evaluated for the pattern of third-molar impaction and blood characteristics recorded as ABO group and presence or absence of Rhesus antigen. Results The results showed no significant association between the blood group and the presence of impacted third molars. The prevalence of at least one impacted the third molar was 34.6%. The most common angulation of impacted third molars was vertical (V) (45.1%), followed by mesioangular (MA) (33.7%), distoangular (DA) (13.8%), and horizontal (H) (7.4%). There was no significant association between the blood group and the number of impacted third molars nor between the blood group and the angulation of the impacted third molars. Conclusion This study suggests that the blood group is not a major factor in the development of impacted third molars. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these findings.