Dental Hygiene Care Flashcards

The dental hygiene process of care follows which systematic sequence?

Answer: Assessment → Dental hygiene diagnosis → Planning → Implementation → Evaluation

The dental hygiene process of care follows five sequential steps: Assessment, Dental Hygiene Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation — forming a systematic patient-centered approach.

Which vital sign measurement is considered hypertensive stage 2 (severe) per the American Heart Association's 2017 guidelines?

Answer: Systolic ≥140 mmHg or diastolic ≥90 mmHg

The 2017 AHA/ACC guidelines define Hypertension Stage 2 as systolic ≥140 mmHg or diastolic ≥90 mmHg, requiring drug therapy and lifestyle intervention.

When applying fluoride varnish in a clinical setting, the clinician should instruct the patient to:

Answer: Avoid eating hard foods, hot beverages, and brushing for at least 4–6 hours after application

After fluoride varnish application, patients should avoid hard/crunchy foods, hot drinks, and brushing for 4–6 hours to maximize fluoride uptake into enamel while the varnish remains on tooth surfaces.

Which type of stroke is used during the assessment phase of ultrasonic debridement to detect calculus?

Answer: Light, overlapping exploratory strokes with the tip parallel to the tooth surface

Ultrasonic assessment uses light, overlapping strokes with the side/tip of the instrument kept nearly parallel to the tooth to detect calculus by tactile feedback without excessive thermal/mechanical trauma.

A patient with xerostomia secondary to Sjögren's syndrome should receive which dental hygiene intervention to prevent root caries?

Answer: Prescription-strength 1.1% sodium fluoride (5,000 ppm) toothpaste applied daily and fluoride varnish every 3 months

Sjögren's syndrome causes severe xerostomia with dramatically elevated caries risk; prescription 5,000 ppm fluoride toothpaste (daily) combined with quarterly in-office fluoride varnish provides maximum caries protection.

Which instrument is specifically designed for use in the furcation areas of multi-rooted teeth?

Answer: Nabers probe (furcation probe) for assessment and curved furcation curettes (e.g., Hirschfeld files) for debridement

The Nabers probe has a curved tip calibrated to assess furcation depth, while curved furcation curettes and Hirschfeld files are designed for effective calculus removal in the restricted anatomy of furcation areas.