Community dentistry: mercury spill: 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 · Community dentistry: mercury spill

Sample item

A few droplets of mercury are spilled on the operatory floor. Which response is correct?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Collect with a spill kit and seal it

Mercury spills should be cleaned by collecting the beads with a spill kit or suction pipette and sealing them in a labelled container for safe disposal, with the room ventilated. Vacuuming or sweeping spreads and vaporises the mercury, and flushing it contaminates the drainage.

Option by option

  • A. Wash them down the sink drain with water

    Mercury entering the drains contaminates the water and pipes.

  • B. Vacuum them up with the high-volume suction

    Vacuuming disperses the mercury and increases vapour release.

  • C. Collect with a spill kit and seal it (correct)

    Correct. Collecting and sealing the beads limits vapour and contamination.

  • D. Sweep them into the clinical waste bin

    Sweeping breaks the beads into smaller droplets that spread widely.

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.

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Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is C, Collect with a spill kit and seal it. Mercury spills should be cleaned by collecting the beads with a spill kit or suction pipette and sealing them in a labelled container for safe disposal, with the room ventilated.

Why is "Wash them down the sink drain with water" not the answer?

Mercury entering the drains contaminates the water and pipes.

Why is "Vacuum them up with the high-volume suction" not the answer?

Vacuuming disperses the mercury and increases vapour release.

Why is "Sweep them into the clinical waste bin" not the answer?

Sweeping breaks the beads into smaller droplets that spread widely.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Community dentistry: mercury spill in Dentistry. Vacuuming or sweeping spreads and vaporises the mercury, and flushing it contaminates the drainage.

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 Community dentistry: mercury spill?

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.