Caries, pulp and periodontal disease: mouth-breathing 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: mouth-breathing gingivitis

Sample item

A 12-year-old with adenoid hypertrophy and habitual mouth breathing has a red, shiny, swollen labial gingiva in the upper anterior region, while the rest of the mouth looks healthy. What is the likely diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Mouth-breathing gingivitis

Mouth breathing dries the labial gingiva of the maxillary anterior teeth and removes the protective salivary film, causing a red, smooth, shiny and swollen gingiva limited to the exposed area. Correcting the airway problem and improving hygiene helps.

Option by option

  • A. Desquamative gingivitis

    Desquamative gingivitis is a diffuse peeling pattern linked to mucocutaneous disease.

  • B. Phenytoin-induced enlargement

    Phenytoin enlargement needs drug exposure and is generalised, not limited to the dried zone.

  • C. Mouth-breathing gingivitis (correct)

    Correct. Localised dried labial gingiva with erythema and shininess follows mouth breathing.

  • D. Necrotising ulcerative gingivitis

    Necrotising gingivitis shows punched-out, necrotic papillae with pain.

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 C, Mouth-breathing gingivitis. Mouth breathing dries the labial gingiva of the maxillary anterior teeth and removes the protective salivary film, causing a red, smooth, shiny and swollen gingiva limited to the exposed area.

Why is "Desquamative gingivitis" not the answer?

Desquamative gingivitis is a diffuse peeling pattern linked to mucocutaneous disease.

Why is "Phenytoin-induced enlargement" not the answer?

Phenytoin enlargement needs drug exposure and is generalised, not limited to the dried zone.

Why is "Necrotising ulcerative gingivitis" not the answer?

Necrotising gingivitis shows punched-out, necrotic papillae with pain.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Caries, pulp and periodontal disease: mouth-breathing gingivitis in Dentistry. Correcting the airway problem and improving hygiene helps.

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: mouth-breathing 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.