Dental Dental Pharmacology 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which local anesthetic is most commonly used in US dental offices for routine procedures?
- Bupivacaine
- Prilocaine
- Lidocaine (lignocaine) (Correct answer)
- Articaine
Correct answer: Lidocaine (lignocaine)
Lidocaine 2% with 1:100,000 epinephrine is the most widely used dental local anesthetic in the United States due to its reliable efficacy and safety profile.
Question 2: What is the role of epinephrine (vasoconstrictor) when added to dental local anesthetic?
- Increases the speed of onset
- Prolongs duration and reduces systemic absorption (Correct answer)
- Decreases the pH of the solution
- Acts as a bacteriostatic agent
Correct answer: Prolongs duration and reduces systemic absorption
Epinephrine causes vasoconstriction at the injection site, slowing the absorption of the anesthetic into the bloodstream and thereby prolonging the duration of anesthesia while reducing toxicity.
Question 3: Which analgesic is considered first-line for mild to moderate dental pain in adults without contraindications?
- Codeine
- Ibuprofen (NSAID) (Correct answer)
- Tramadol
- Oxycodone
Correct answer: Ibuprofen (NSAID)
Ibuprofen, an NSAID, is considered the first-line analgesic for dental pain due to its dual anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties and favorable safety profile.
Question 4: Penicillin VK is the drug of choice for treating a dental abscess in a patient with no drug allergies. What is the typical adult dosage?
- 125 mg every 12 hours
- 250–500 mg every 6 hours (Correct answer)
- 875 mg every 12 hours
- 500 mg once daily
Correct answer: 250–500 mg every 6 hours
The standard adult dental dosage for Penicillin VK is 250–500 mg taken every 6 hours (four times daily) for 7–10 days for odontogenic infections.
Question 5: Which antibiotic is the preferred alternative for a patient with a penicillin allergy who requires antibiotic coverage for a dental infection?
- Amoxicillin
- Clindamycin (Correct answer)
- Tetracycline
- Vancomycin
Correct answer: Clindamycin
Clindamycin is the recommended alternative antibiotic for patients allergic to penicillin who require treatment for odontogenic infections due to its excellent coverage of oral anaerobes.
Question 6: What is the maximum recommended dose of acetaminophen per day for a healthy adult patient taking it for dental pain?
- 2,000 mg/day
- 3,000 mg/day
- 4,000 mg/day (Correct answer)
- 6,000 mg/day
Correct answer: 4,000 mg/day
The FDA recommends a maximum of 4,000 mg (4 grams) of acetaminophen per day for healthy adults to avoid hepatotoxicity.
Dental Dental Pharmacology 1
Which local anesthetic is most commonly used in US dental offices for routine procedures?