Social Messaging Apps as Oral Health Promotion Tools: A Literature Review
Social messaging apps are now integral to daily life, transforming communication and information sharing. These platforms show potential as tools for health promotion. However, existing studies vary in scope, outcomes, and platforms, leading to inconsistencies in assessing the impact and effectiveness of oral health (OH) promotion. This review aims to examine the type of social messaging apps used for OH promotion and their impact on OH knowledge, attitude, behavior, and OH status. The search was conducted across four electronic databases using relevant keywords to identify articles published between 2004 and 2024. This review includes experimental and quasi-experimental study designs, published in the English language. Data such as the study design and the characteristics of social messaging apps for OH promotion and their effect on knowledge, attitude, behavior, and OH status were extracted. The systematic search identified 601 articles, with 15 studies being included in the analysis. Four studies reported on OH knowledge and behavior outcomes, six reported on OH status outcomes, and five reported a combination of both outcomes. WhatsApp was the most utilized social media platform reported in these studies. OH promotion interventions leveraging these platforms demonstrated significant improvements in OH knowledge and status, particularly when using customizable, engaging content supported by continuous information delivery. However, more robust primary studies investigating specific tools, engagement strategies, user preferences, and patterns of patient interaction can offer substantial benefits to patient health, in line with technological adoption.
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