Dental Emergencies and First Aid Flashcards
7 cards from real ADAP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Dental Emergencies and First Aid flashcards as text
What is the recommended aspirin dose a conscious adult patient should chew when a myocardial infarction is suspected in the dental office?
Answer: 162–325 mg (one to two regular-strength tablets)
Chewing 162–325 mg of aspirin rapidly delivers antiplatelet effects that can limit myocardial damage while awaiting emergency services.
A patient with a known history of asthma begins wheezing and is short of breath during a procedure. What is the FIRST-line treatment?
Answer: Use the patient's own bronchodilator inhaler (e.g., albuterol)
A beta-2 agonist bronchodilator inhaler such as albuterol is the first-line rescue medication for an acute asthma attack.
What does the acronym AED stand for in the context of dental office emergency preparedness?
Answer: Automated External Defibrillator
AED stands for Automated External Defibrillator, a device that analyzes heart rhythm and delivers a shock to restore normal rhythm in cardiac arrest.
A patient reports a known latex allergy before a dental procedure. What is the MOST appropriate action for the dental team?
Answer: Use latex-free gloves, instruments, and materials throughout the appointment
A latex allergy requires a completely latex-free environment to prevent potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis during treatment.
What is postural (orthostatic) hypotension, and when is it MOST likely to occur in dental patients?
Answer: A drop in blood pressure when a patient moves from lying down to sitting or standing upright
Postural hypotension is a sudden drop in blood pressure upon position change that can cause dizziness or fainting, most commonly when patients rise quickly from a reclined dental chair.
If a dental instrument is accidentally dropped into a patient's throat, what is the MOST appropriate FIRST response?
Answer: Turn the patient's head to the side and use suction to locate and retrieve the object
Turning the patient's head to the side and using oral suction is the correct first step to retrieve a dropped object before it is swallowed or aspirated.
Which of the following is the universal sign that a conscious patient is choking and cannot speak or breathe?
Answer: Clutching the throat with both hands
The universal choking sign is clutching the throat with one or both hands, which is internationally recognized as a signal for complete airway obstruction.