Caries, pulp and periodontal disease: antimicrobial in necrotising gingivitis: practice question

A Dentistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Dentistry · Caries, pulp and periodontal disease: antimicrobial in necrotising gingivitis

Sample item

A young stressed smoker has painful, bleeding gingiva with punched-out papillae, a grey pseudomembrane, foul breath and low-grade fever. After local debridement, which drug is most appropriate for the systemic infection?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Metronidazole

Necrotising gingivitis is associated with fusiform bacteria, spirochaetes and other anaerobes. Debridement, oral hygiene and metronidazole, which is active against anaerobes, are the usual treatment, with stress and smoking addressed.

Option by option

  • A. Metronidazole (correct)

    Correct. Metronidazole targets the anaerobic flora of necrotising disease.

  • B. Acyclovir

    Acyclovir treats herpes viruses, and the picture here is not a herpetic gingivostomatitis.

  • C. Fluconazole

    Fluconazole is an antifungal and the lesion is bacterial.

  • D. Gentamicin

    Gentamicin has little activity against anaerobes and is not used in this setting.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Dentistry questions

Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is A, Metronidazole. Necrotising gingivitis is associated with fusiform bacteria, spirochaetes and other anaerobes.

Why is "Acyclovir" not the answer?

Acyclovir treats herpes viruses, and the picture here is not a herpetic gingivostomatitis.

Why is "Fluconazole" not the answer?

Fluconazole is an antifungal and the lesion is bacterial.

Why is "Gentamicin" not the answer?

Gentamicin has little activity against anaerobes and is not used in this setting.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Caries, pulp and periodontal disease: antimicrobial in necrotising gingivitis in Dentistry. Debridement, oral hygiene and metronidazole, which is active against anaerobes, are the usual treatment, with stress and smoking addressed.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Caries, pulp and periodontal disease: antimicrobial in necrotising gingivitis?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.