ORAL HEALTH PROMOTION CLASSWORK

1. The three main oral diseases that are commonly seen in the dental workplace are caries,
gingivitis and periodontitis. Which one of the following is a causative factor in all three of
these diseases?
A Acidic drinks
B Dental plaque biofilm
C Free sugars
D Smoking
E Stagnation areas

2. Fluoride is known to have a beneficial effect on reducing the incidence of dental caries, and
regular applications are advised for many patients. Which one of the following is an
example of a systemic fluoride?
A Gel
B Mouthwash
C Tablets
D Toothpaste
E Varnish

3. Manual toothbrushing as a method of removing the plaque biofilm is effective on just 66%
of tooth surfaces, so patients are also advised to carry out interdental cleaning regularly.
Which one of the following interdental products is the least effective at removing the plaque
biofilm from the interdental tooth surfaces?
A Dental floss
B Dental tape
C Interdental brush
D Interspace brush
E Wood stick

4. Many oral health risk factors are also linked to general health issues. Which of the following
risk factors is associated with enamel erosion, a form of non-carious tooth surface loss?
A Alcoholism
B Bulimia
C Diabetes
D High-sugar diet
E Smoking

5. The dental team have an important role to play in attending to the health and social care
needs of patients suffering from dementia. Which one of the following actions should not be
followed in these patients?
A Change to high-fluoride toothpaste
B Extract all teeth on diagnosis
C Reinforce usual oral hygiene regime
D Replace dentures using a ‘copy’ technique
E Replace failing restorations as soon as possible
6. Good communication skills are important in ensuring that patients understand oral hygiene
and dietary advice, so that their oral health is improved or at least maintained. Which one of
the following actions would indicate to the patient that they have your attention?
A Folding the arms
B Frowning
C Making eye contact
D Smiling
E Standing up

7. A regular patient at the dental workplace has been diagnosed with several early carious
lesions during their recall appointment, so a discussion about dietary habits and changes
ensues. Which one of the following products is most likely to be revealed as a source of
free sugars in their diet?
A Fresh pineapple chunks
B Fruit smoothies
C Plain yoghurt
D Sweet potatoes
E White bread

8. Dental caries and periodontal disease are the main oral diseases that may result in tooth
loss in humans. There are several preventive measures that can be undertaken by the
patient and the dental team. Which one of the following preventive measures will help
reduce the incidence of both caries and periodontal disease for the patient?
A Control plaque biofilm build-up
B Control the host response to disease
C Increase tooth resistance to acids
D Modify contributing factors
E Modify the diet

9. 95% of toothpastes in the UK contain fluoride, usually as sodium monofluorophosphate and

sodium fluoride. For adult patients, what is the current recommended level of fluoride in
general toothpastes, as parts per million (ppm)?
A 1°ppm
B 1450°ppm
C 2800°ppm
D 5000°ppm
E 22,600°ppm

10. A patient has attended for an oral health examination with the dentist and a BPE score of 4
has been found in the lower left sextant of their mouth. Which one of the following actions is
most likely to be carried out for this patient in an effort to reduce the BPE score?
A Dietary advice
B Fluoride application
C Scale and polish
D Smoking cessation advice
E Subgingival debridement
 End of session test – answers

1. The three main oral diseases that are commonly seen in the dental workplace are caries,
gingivitis and periodontitis. Which one of the following is a causative factor in all three of
these diseases?
A Acidic drinks
B Dental plaque biofilm
C Free sugars
D Smoking
E Stagnation areas
The correct answer is B. Any of the three diseases will occur in the presence of bacterial
plaque and is the reason why good oral hygiene techniques must be carried out on a daily
basis by the patient.

2. Fluoride is known to have a beneficial effect on reducing the incidence of dental caries, and
regular applications are advised for many patients. Which one of the following is an
example of a systemic fluoride?
A Gel
B Mouthwash
C Tablets
D Toothpaste
E Varnish
The correct answer is C. Systemic fluorides are taken into the body, while topical fluorides
are applied externally to the teeth.

3. Manual toothbrushing as a method of removing the plaque biofilm is effective on just 66%
of tooth surfaces, so patients are also advised to carry out interdental cleaning regularly.
Which one of the following interdental products is the least effective at removing the plaque
biofilm from the interdental tooth surfaces?
A Dental floss
B Dental tape
C Interdental brush
D Interspace brush
E Wood stick
The correct answer is E. Wood sticks can be used with caution to dislodge solid debris, but
they cannot wrap around the interdental tooth surface to physically clean it.

4. Many oral health risk factors are also linked to general health issues. Which of the following
risk factors is associated with enamel erosion, a form of non-carious tooth surface loss?
A Alcoholism
B Bulimia
C Diabetes
D High-sugar diet
E Smoking
The correct answer is B. Bulimia is an emotional disorder in which the sufferer has periods of
overeating and then often induces vomiting. The acidity of vomiting the stomach contents on a
regular basis causes enamel erosion.

5. The dental team have an important role to play in attending to the health and social care
needs of patients suffering from dementia. Which one of the following actions should not be
followed in these patients?
 A Change to high-fluoride toothpaste
B Extract all teeth on diagnosis special needs patient= prevention
C Reinforce usual oral hygiene regime
D Replace dentures using a ‘copy’ technique
E Replace failing restorations as soon as possible
The correct answer is B. The progression of dementia varies in each patient and some live a
good quality of life for many years following diagnosis. Their dental status at diagnosis
should be maintained for as long as possible, to enable effective chewing and to prevent
malnutrition, so a dental clearance is unlikely to help achieve these goals.

6. Good communication skills are important in ensuring that patients understand oral hygiene
and dietary advice, so that their oral health is improved or at least maintained. Which one of
the following actions would indicate to the patient that they have your attention?
A Folding the arms
B Frowning
C Making eye contact
D Smiling
E Standing up
The correct answer is C. This is the most important communication skill to indicate
attentiveness towards a person as they speak to you.

7. A regular patient at the dental workplace has been diagnosed with several early carious
lesions during their recall appointment, so a discussion about dietary habits and changes
ensues. Which one of the following products is most likely to be revealed as a source of
free sugars in their diet?
A Fresh pineapple chunks
B Fruit smoothies
C Plain yoghurt
D Sweet potatoes
E White bread
The correct answer is B. The processing of the fruit to make the smoothies releases their
natural sugar (fructose) content, which then becomes mildly cariogenic. While a valuable
source of the required ‘5 a day’, smoothies should be confined to mealtimes and the teeth
cleaned afterwards.

8. Dental caries and periodontal disease are the main oral diseases that may result in tooth
loss in humans. There are several preventive measures that can be undertaken by the
patient and the dental team. Which one of the following preventive measures will help
reduce the incidence of both caries and periodontal disease for the patient?
A Control plaque biofilm build-up
B Control the host response to disease
C Increase tooth resistance to acids
D Modify contributing factors
E Modify the diet
The correct answer is A. Plaque biofilm build-up on the tooth surface will allow carious
lesions to develop, while that building up in the gingival crevice will allow gingivitis and then
periodontitis to develop.
9. 95% of toothpastes in the UK contain fluoride, usually as sodium monofluorophosphate and
sodium fluoride. For adult patients, what is the current recommended level of fluoride in
general toothpastes, as parts per million (ppm)?
A 1°ppm
B 1450°ppm
C 2800°ppm
 D 5000°ppm
E 22,600°ppm

10. A patient has attended for an oral health examination with the dentist and a BPE score of 4
has been found in the lower left sextant of their mouth. Which one of the following actions is
most likely to be carried out for this patient in an effort to reduce the BPE score?
A Dietary advice
B Fluoride application
C Scale and polish
D Smoking cessation advice
E Subgingival debridement
The correct answer is E. A pocket depth of more than 5.5°mm is present and the area must
be debrided of plaque biofilm and any calculus before the supporting tissues can begin to
heal. Scaling and polishing is carried out to remove supragingival debris and staining.