Xerostomia Dental Management — ORE Part 1 MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

ModerateHuman Disease & Dental ManagementXerostomia Dental ManagementORE Part 1

A 50-year-old woman taking tamoxifen for breast cancer reports persistent xerostomia. She has natural teeth and no active dental infection. Which additional aspect of her dental management is most important?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: A — Institute enhanced fluoride prevention and shorten recall intervals

Explanation lettering: C = shown as B · B = shown as C

A is correct. Reduced salivary flow removes buffering, cleansing and remineralising protection, substantially increasing caries risk. Management should therefore prioritise enhanced fluoride exposure, for example higher-fluoride toothpaste where indicated and professionally applied fluoride, alongside risk-based shorter recall intervals and dietary/oral-hygiene reinforcement. UK guidance identifies hyposalivation as a caries risk and recommends fluoride to reduce that risk. Prophylactic extraction is destructive and unjustified. Tamoxifen alone is not an indication for antibiotic prophylaxis or for deferring routine dental care. Immediate dentures neither prevent caries nor address xerostomia and may be poorly tolerated in a dry mouth.

Reference: Royal College of Surgeons of England, Faculty of Dental Surgery. The Oral and Dental Management of Patients Before, During and After Cancer Therapy, section 5.18 Xerostomia, 2024. https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/-/media/Files/RCS/FDS/Publications/The-oral-and-dental-management-of-patients-before-during-and-after-cancer-therapy.pdf