Quality and accuracy of clear aligner Arabic information on Instagram: A content-based analysis

Instagram is a key source of health information, particularly for promoting clear aligners therapy but raising concerns about misinformation. Despite over 400 million Arabic speakers across 22 countries, their representation in health information quality research is limited. Thus, this prospective cross-sectional study aimed to qualitatively and quantitatively analyses Arabic Instagram posts about clear aligner therapy.

On 21 April 2025, Arabic posts were collected using 14 popular hashtags following a stratified random sampling approach, with the top 20 posts per hashtag included. Posts were classified by format, poster role, content type, thematic focus and type. Claim accuracy was assessed using established misinformation frameworks and orthodontic guidelines. Inter-rater reliability was ensured with a multi-coder protocol. Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney U, Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests with Bonferroni corrections (α = 0.05).

Of 1,058,700 initial posts, 264 were included. Most were promotional (63%), photo-based (75%) and originated from Saudi Arabia (56%). Video and sharing experience posts had higher likes and engagement than photo and marketing posts (p < 0.05). Clinical and educational posts contained more balanced facts (p < 0.001), while 36% of claims were non-factual, particularly in promotional, marketing and practice advertisement posts (p < 0.001, p < 0.05 and p = 0.011, respectively).

Arabic Instagram content on clear aligners is mainly promotional with substantial misinformation. Educational posts, though more accurate, are less common. Given Instagram's impact on treatment decisions, improving the quality of Arabic orthodontic content is crucial for informed consent and public awareness.