Abstract
Background and Aim: Young people increasingly rely on the internet for health information but often lack the skills to assess its quality. Although they are digital natives, many have low health literacy and seek guidance from adults. To provide trustworthy information, the Norwegian government launched ung.no in 2003—a website for youth aged 13–20, featuring an anonymous Q&A service. This study explored how adolescents use the Q&A service to build oral health literacy.
The results are a part of the project #Care4YoungTeeth<3, led by NTNU
Methods: All dentist-answered questions submitted to the Q&A service over three years were collected. A sample of 756 questions was qualitatively analysed using the four health literacy dimensions: finding, processing, evaluating and using health information.
Results: Adolescents seem to use the Q&A service as a decision-making aid. Their questions often reflect a desire for confirmation or clarification of previously found information. Many demonstrate good oral health literacy, showing awareness of symptoms, the need for reliable sources and when to seek professional help. However, they also reveal uncertainty in evaluating different actions, and typically ask about the consequences of various options and request help in identifying the best choice—or alternatives that fit their preferences. In some cases, they seek ways to maintain harmful habits, e.g., asking how to drink acidic beverages with less dental harm.
Conclusion: Adolescents seem to use the Q&A service to support decisions and confirm their understanding, thereby building oral health literacy—but this does not necessarily lead to healthier choices.