Research Information System
International Archives of Dental Sciences, vol.46, no.2, pp.105-112, 2025 (TRDizin)
INTRODUCTION: The aim is to investigate the relationship between Google Trends (GT) data of search terms related to pediatric dentistry and the Gross National Product (GNP) of cities, as well as the current caries index values (dmft/DMFT) in Turkey for the year 2023.
METHODS: As publicly available data was utilized in the study, ethical approval was not necessary. Search terms related to pedodontics ("pedodontics", "pedodontist", "primary tooth", "pediatric dentist", “toothpaste", "toothbrush", "fluoride varnish", and "teething") were examined for 36 provinces in Turkey through GT. The correlation between internet search habits with GNP from the Turkish Statistical Institute and dmft/DMFT data for the 5-12 age group obtained from the Turkey Oral Health Profile Research Report were statistically examined using the Spearman correlation test.
RESULTS: Search terms "pedodontics", and "teething" were found to be associated with GNP; and “pedodontist", and "primary tooth" were found to be related to dmft values (p<0.05). Furthermore, statistical differences were also found in dmft values between regions.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Google Trends is an effective tool for determining individuals' interest in pediatric dentistry, and these data can be associated with the oral health status of the population.