Dental Hygiene NBDHE Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (21–30)

Question 1

The earliest clinically reversible stage of inflammatory periodontal disease, with no attachment or bone loss, is:

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Gingivitis. Plaque-induced gingivitis is inflammation confined to the gingiva with intact attachment and bone; removing the biofilm resolves it without permanent damage.

Question 2

Gingival enlargement (overgrowth) is a well-known side effect of all the following EXCEPT:

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Amoxicillin. Phenytoin (anticonvulsant), cyclosporine (immunosuppressant), and nifedipine (calcium channel blocker) all cause drug-influenced gingival overgrowth; amoxicillin does not.

Question 3

Arestin, a locally delivered antimicrobial placed in periodontal pockets, contains which active drug?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Minocycline microspheres. Arestin delivers minocycline as bioadhesive microspheres directly into the pocket as an adjunct to scaling and root planing.

Question 4

Which systemic condition has a well-documented bidirectional relationship with periodontitis?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Diabetes mellitus. Poor glycemic control worsens periodontal inflammation, and severe periodontitis can impair glycemic control, demonstrating a two-way relationship.

Question 5

Compared with a universal curet, the working end of an area-specific Gracey curet differs in that:

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

The face is offset, so only the lower cutting edge is used. A Gracey blade is offset at about 70 degrees to the lower shank, so only the lower (outer) cutting edge is used, whereas a universal curet has two usable edges at 90 degrees.

Question 6

Fremitus is detected by placing a finger on the facial surfaces of the maxillary teeth while the patient does what?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Taps the teeth together and grinds in excursions. Fremitus is the palpable or visible movement of a tooth in function; the clinician feels vibration as the patient occludes and moves the mandible.

Question 7

Following periodontal surgery, non-resorbable silk sutures are typically removed after about:

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

7 to 10 days. Silk and other non-resorbable sutures are generally removed in 7 to 10 days, allowing initial wound healing while limiting plaque accumulation along the suture.

Question 8

The primary goal of root planing is to:

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Remove calculus and diseased cementum to create a smooth, biologically acceptable root surface. Root planing removes residual calculus and softened, contaminated cementum, leaving a smooth surface that discourages biofilm and supports tissue reattachment.

Question 9

Localized aggressive periodontitis (now grade C molar-incisor pattern) classically shows rapid bone loss centered on which teeth in an otherwise healthy adolescent?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

First molars and incisors. The molar-incisor pattern of rapid attachment loss around first molars and incisors, often with Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, is the hallmark of localized aggressive disease.

Question 10

The supracrestal tissue attachment ('biologic width') averages about 2 mm and consists of which two components?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Junctional epithelium plus connective tissue attachment. The supracrestal attachment is the junctional epithelium (~0.97 mm) plus the connective tissue attachment (~1.07 mm); restorations encroaching on it provoke chronic inflammation.

Dental Hygiene NBDHE Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (21–30)

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