National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) Dental Hygienist Practice Test

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Prepare for the NBDHE Dental Hygienist Exam. Enhance your skills with comprehensive flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Ace your test with confidence!

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What is typically the first step in treatment for acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis?

Antibiotics
Root planing
Scaling
Fluoride treatment

The correct answer is: Antibiotics

In the case of acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG), the primary concern is managing the infection and reducing inflammation before implementing further treatment. The use of antibiotics is typically the first step in treatment because ANUG is characterized by the presence of anaerobic bacteria, and antibiotics can help control this bacterial infection. The goal is to alleviate symptoms such as pain, swelling, and bleeding, which are prevalent in this condition. While scaling and root planing are important supportive treatments intended to remove plaque and calculus, they are generally performed after the acute phase is managed. Immediate mechanical debridement may exacerbate the condition due to the sensitivity and inflammation associated with ANUG. Fluoride treatment, while beneficial for caries prevention, does not address the immediate needs of infection control and is therefore not the first step in treatment for this particular condition.