Social Media Is Double-Edged Sword

Social media platforms have revolutionized how we communicate and share information in today's digital age. These platforms connect people worldwide, enabling instant communication and rapid exchange of ideas. Through social media, we can access real-time updates, join meaningful discussions, and stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues across any distance. This is a most trite version of an unfiltered mouthful of words serial-listing the pros of social media. Yes, we all know that. 

While social media offers unprecedented convenience in sharing information, it poses a serious problem: misinformation. False information can reach millions of users before being corrected –if ever–potentially causing widespread confusion and harm to communities. As a dentist, I find it particularly worrying that people increasingly turn to social media for medical advice from non-professionals, often trusting unverified remedies over qualified ones. This behavior not only undermines professional medical expertise but can lead to severe health consequences when proper treatment is delayed. 

So here is a story. When I was an intern at NTUH (The National Taiwan University Hospital) back in 2019, I witnessed the outcome of this dangerous trend. A female patient who came to our ER was barely able to breathe because of the severe swelling and pain in her throat. Her submandibular region, or her neck region, was like a springtime croaking frog’s vocal sac. After a thorough clinical examination, we found that she was suffering from an acute infection, also known as cellulitis, resulting from the badly decayed molar tooth. The most deadly consequence of cellulitis in this region is that the infection will spread through different spaces and cause swelling of jaw called “Ludwig’s angina,” which blocks one’s airway and ultimately takes one’s life if left untreated. 

The nurse put her on a gurney and brought her to the surgical unit. I watched the resident dentist  knife out the swelling area with a scalpel. The moment the knife cut open the swollen sac, milky white pus burst out, mixed with inflammatory exudate, fluid that leaks out of blood vessels into nearby tissues, and a rotten-fish smell soon filled up the whole ER chamber. It took me almost 10 minutes to drain out all the inflammatory substrate. Drainage of the infection site causes severe pain for the patient–eight on the scale of ten. While she suffered, the fiendish odor penetrated my surgical mask, entered my nostrils, and attacked my soul. It was a torturous 10 minutes for both the patient and me. Afterward, we admitted her and gave her an IV injection of antibiotics. The liquid form of antibiotic can quickly increase the level of antibiotic concentration throughout the whole body much more efficiently than oral intake. This ER procedure is rarely given because of its aggressive nature. 

“ How can you tolerate this kind of discomfort for so long? This must be very painful, and the symptom must be present for a while!” I asked. She reluctantly squeezed out a few words, babbling, “I baugh a boffle ob powduh omwine… wich cwaimed to twee any kin' ub toof pwobwems an’ id ish cheeb!. (I bought a bottle of powder online…which claimed to treat any kind of tooth problems …and it’s cheap).” I could tell how uncomfortable she was, so I stopped asking for further details and let her rest. 

Out of curiosity, I looked up on the internet about the “MAGIC Fairy Powder.” Let’s call it MFP for now. It seemed to have some Chinese traditional medicine properties in it but the actual formula–as all medicine is required to provide–was not available on the website. The language the MFP used was so suggestive of treatment without using the word treatment. This created a blurry legal area in which the vendor of this “powder” could suggest the pain relief function without breaking the law. “No more dentist! You can manage ANY kind of tooth problem, including large decay, periodontitis, and even severe toothache, just with a single swipe!” This slogan is prominently printed on the bottle of the powder. I was so shocked about HOW someone could sell this kind of fraudulent DRUG to the people on the internet! This is absolutely a scam that makes money by harming people. I thought about calling the police and making sure that the vendors would end up in jail and ultimately in hell where they’d burn. 

After 7 days in our ward , she was finally discharged with the swelling gone and free of symptoms. She still had to have her root canal treatment done as soon as possible so that the origin of the infection could be completely wiped out. “ You should come earlier, then you won’t suffer from all the pain these treatments had inflicted on, and all we have to do when the decay is still small is to properly fill up the cavity. This procedure would take about only 30 minutes.,” I told her. 

This case highlights the critical importance of seeking qualified medical advice rather than relying on social media for making healthcare decisions. What could have been resolved by prompt, professional treatment instead had become life-threatening. Her case had entered the manual for treating Ludwig's angina; she was very close to seeing the fatal consequence of trusting misinformation. While social media can be valuable for sharing information and experiences, it should never replace professional medical guidance, especially for health issues requiring immediate attention and proper medical expertise. Sadly, the same powder by the same brand is still readily available online.  

Shawn Huang is a dentist by profession who has discovered a sharp wit and a passion for satire. His writing humorously critiques serious medical policy issues and the often transactional nature of doctor-patient relationships in Taiwan. Follow him for clever, incisive pieces that blend professional insight with a comic twist.