Welcome to 2026 and to this editorial where we untangle truth from fiction… Because in the field of healthcare, all it takes is a single social media post for a “miracle cure” tested by someone's neighbor's sister's cousin to go more viral than a winter cold. Health has become one of the most sensitive battlegrounds for misinformation, where the speed at which false information spreads (not always intentionally) is impossible to control.

You've all seen or heard of that famous pineapple juice with supposedly miraculous benefits after third molar extraction!

Our information-based society has shifted into an image-driven society, where images are the alpha and omega of fake news. For example, the posting of clinical “before/after” cases on social media—often oversimplified—does not do justice to the complexity of managing implant-supported prosthetic rehabilitations [1].

Added to this are psychological and cognitive factors such as confirmation bias, the Dunning–Kruger effect, the availability heuristic, and Brandolini's law or the “bullshit asymmetry principle”: five minutes to spread nonsense, one hour to debunk it. A high level of education does not necessarily protect against producing or relaying false information, often linked to strong belief tendencies. People simply lack two crucial resources: time and discernment [2].

Why do so many false claims circulate? Because they often offer simple solutions to complex issues. Nuance, critical thinking, and debate no longer have their place. Because they play on emotions, anxiety, and cognitive biases. Because they spread in spaces where anyone can speak without always considering the impact of what they share. Because the Web is aristocratic rather than democratic; Google's algorithms can elevate a fake news to the top of disseminated information [3]!

In the JOMOS journal and within our scientific society, the SFCO, we tackle fake news that spreads much faster than microbes. Our role is to explain, analyze, verify using reliable sources, and provide tools such as fact-checking to dismantle false information. We nurture critical thinking and the processes required to uphold scientific truth.

No, eating garlic does not replace antivirals or antibiotics—but it can certainly compromise a romantic dinner. And yes, an oral surgeon is far more reliable than an influencer lounging by a pool. Here, we treat Fake News: no prescription needed, just common sense!

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© The authors, 2026