Dental Hygiene Care 1 Flashcards

When adapting a Gracey curette to the mesial surface of a mandibular molar during subgingival scaling, the terminal shank should be:

Answer: Parallel to the long axis of the tooth surface being scaled

The terminal shank of a Gracey curette must be kept parallel to the surface being scaled to ensure proper blade adaptation and effective calculus removal without traumatizing the periodontal tissues.

Which clinical finding is the MOST reliable indicator of gingival inflammation during a periodontal assessment?

Answer: Bleeding on probing (BOP)

Bleeding on probing reflects ulceration of the sulcular epithelium caused by active inflammation, making it the most direct and reliable clinical sign of gingival disease; calculus and pocket depth alone do not confirm current inflammation.

The principle of selective polishing differs from routine polishing primarily because it:

Answer: Targets only teeth with clinically visible extrinsic stain, preserving fluoride-rich enamel

Selective polishing avoids unnecessary abrasion by restricting rubber cup polishing to surfaces with extrinsic stain, thereby protecting the fluoride-rich outer enamel that would otherwise be abraded on clean surfaces.

A patient reports a sharp tooth sensitivity to cold stimuli that resolves within 2–3 seconds after the stimulus is removed. This response pattern is MOST consistent with:

Answer: Dentinal hypersensitivity

Dentinal hypersensitivity produces a short, sharp pain that disappears almost immediately after stimulus removal, consistent with the hydrodynamic theory in which fluid shifts in exposed dentinal tubules activate pulpal nociceptors; irreversible pulpitis and abscesses produce lingering or spontaneous pain.

According to current evidence-based guidelines, which self-care method is MOST effective for removing interproximal biofilm?

Answer: Daily mechanical cleaning with floss or interdental brushes

Mechanical disruption of interproximal biofilm with floss or interdental brushes once daily is the evidence-based standard; antimicrobial rinses and irrigation are adjuncts that do not substitute for mechanical removal of the biofilm matrix.

During active periodontal debridement with a hand curette, the correct working angulation of the blade face against the tooth surface is:

Answer: 45 to 90 degrees

A working angulation of 45–90 degrees (optimally 60–80 degrees) allows the curette blade to engage calculus with sufficient lateral pressure for effective removal; angles below 45 degrees cause the blade to slide over deposits, while angles above 90 degrees dig into the cementum.