Dental Hygiene Care Flashcards

When assessing a patient's blood pressure and finding 178/95 mmHg at the beginning of an appointment, the dental hygienist's BEST initial action is:

Answer: Measure blood pressure in the opposite arm, allow patient to rest 5 minutes, and remeasure before consulting the dentist

A reading of 178/95 approaches hypertensive crisis; the appropriate initial response is to recheck with proper technique (opposite arm, rest period) to confirm accuracy before canceling treatment or referring.

The modified Bass toothbrushing technique primarily targets which area for plaque removal?

Answer: The gingival sulcus and gingival margin, with the bristles angled 45° toward the gingiva and a short vibratory motion

The modified Bass technique places bristles at a 45° angle to the gingival sulcus, uses short vibratory strokes to disrupt sulcular plaque, then sweeps coronally — most effective at the gingival margin.

A patient presents with a chief complaint of sensitivity to cold that lingers for 30 seconds. This BEST describes:

Answer: Irreversible pulpitis — lingering pain after cold stimulus suggests inflamed pulp with neural sensitization

Lingering cold sensitivity (>10–15 seconds after stimulus removal) indicates irreversible pulpitis — the inflamed pulp's sensitized C-fibers continue firing after the cold stimulus is gone.

Which index is used to document the severity of oral malodor (halitosis) in a clinical dental hygiene assessment?

Answer: Organoleptic scoring (OLS) using a trained judge, supplemented by portable sulfide monitors measuring volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs)

Organoleptic scoring (the trained clinician sniffing expired air at measured distances) is the gold standard for halitosis assessment; portable VSC monitors (Halimeter, OralChroma) provide objective sulfur compound quantification.

When using powered instrumentation (ultrasonic), which patient condition is a RELATIVE contraindication requiring precautions?

Answer: Cardiac pacemaker — older models may be susceptible to electromagnetic interference from magnetostrictive units

Older cardiac pacemakers (demand-type) may be susceptible to electromagnetic interference from magnetostrictive ultrasonic units; consultation with the cardiologist and preferably piezoelectric units are indicated.

Documentation in the dental hygiene record should follow which standard to ensure medicolegal protection?

Answer: Entries should be timely, accurate, objective, complete, legible, and corrected properly (single line through errors with initials and date)

Proper clinical documentation must be timely (recorded during/immediately after treatment), accurate, objective, complete, signed, and corrected with a single line through errors — never erased, whited-out, or altered retroactively.