Oral medicine and oral cancer: nutritional lesions: 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 · Oral medicine and oral cancer: nutritional lesions

Sample item

A 40-year-old woman with menorrhagia has fissures at the corners of the mouth, a smooth sore tongue and koilonychia. Which underlying deficiency should be sought?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Iron

Angular cheilitis with atrophic glossitis and koilonychia suggests iron deficiency anaemia, often with secondary Candida. Treat the deficiency and the infection.

Option by option

  • A. Vitamin K

    Vitamin K deficiency causes bleeding, not mucosal atrophy.

  • B. Iron (correct)

    Correct. Iron deficiency causes angular cheilitis, glossitis and spoon nails.

  • C. Vitamin C

    Vitamin C deficiency causes bleeding gums and perifollicular haemorrhage.

  • D. Vitamin A

    Vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness and xerophthalmia.

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 B, Iron. Angular cheilitis with atrophic glossitis and koilonychia suggests iron deficiency anaemia, often with secondary Candida.

Why is "Vitamin K" not the answer?

Vitamin K deficiency causes bleeding, not mucosal atrophy.

Why is "Vitamin C" not the answer?

Vitamin C deficiency causes bleeding gums and perifollicular haemorrhage.

Why is "Vitamin A" not the answer?

Vitamin A deficiency causes night blindness and xerophthalmia.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral medicine and oral cancer: nutritional lesions in Dentistry. Treat the deficiency and the infection.

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 Oral medicine and oral cancer: nutritional lesions?

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.