Is YouTube a useful tool for oral care in patients with Parkinson's disease?

Abstract

Introduction: To analyze the quality of YouTube videos offering information about oral care in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Background: Regular oral and dental care is essential for good general health and well-being. In this regard, the motor and/or cognitive problems of people with PD can complicate correct daily hygiene.

Materials and methods: A systematic review was made of YouTube videos for the terms "Parkinson's disease," "dental education," "oral care," "dental care," "oral disease," "oral status," and "oral health." The videos were assessed for content, duration, number of viewings, days since upload, and likes and dislikes. The interaction index and viewing rate were also evaluated. Video quality was rated using a 5-point Likert scale based on the global quality score (GQS).

Results: The search identified 620 videos, of which 42 were included in the analysis. The sources of the uploads were universities (n = 15), television channels (n = 8), and other sources (n = 19). Significant differences were recorded according to the source of information in terms of the duration of the videos (P = .021), the number of views (P = .025), viewing rate (P = .028), days since upload (P = .018), likes (P = .048), and dislikes (P = 0.008).

Conclusions: GQS is higher for University videos; YouTube videos are an accessible, effective, informative, and educative tool for improving oral quality of life of patients with PD.

Relevance to clinical practice: YouTube is increasingly used by patients with chronic disorders, for many reasons, including the desire for a second opinion, the search for support, and a wish to increase personal knowledge of the disease. Likewise, there is a growing interest in the search for information about oral care and coping skills.

Keywords: Parkinson's disease; YouTube; dental care; oral care.