When examining the mouth of an older patient, the nurse recognizes which finding is due to the aging ...

When examining the mouth of an older patient, the nurse recognizes which finding is due to the aging process?
 
  a. Teeth appearing shorter
  b. Tongue that looks smoother in appearance
  c. Buccal mucosa that is beefy red in appearance
  d. Small, painless lump on the dorsum of the tongue

Question 2

When examining the nares of a 45-year-old patient who has complaints of rhinorrhea, itching of the nose and eyes, and sneezing, the nurse notices the following: pale turbinates, swelling of the turbinates, and clear rhinorrhea.
 
  Which of these conditions is most likely the cause?
  a.
  Nasal polyps
  b.
  Acute sinusitis
  c.
  Allergic rhinitis
  d.
  Acute rhinitis

Question 3

A mother brings her 4-month-old infant to the clinic with concerns regarding a small pad in the middle of the upper lip that has been there since 1 month of age. The infant has no health problems.
 
  On physical examination, the nurse notices a 0.5-cm, fleshy, elevated area in the middle of the upper lip. No evidence of inflammation or drainage is observed. What would the nurse tell this mother?
  a.
  This area of irritation is caused from teething and is nothing to worry about.
  b.
  This finding is abnormal and should be evaluated by another health care provider.
  c.
  This area of irritation is the result of chronic drooling and should resolve within the next month or two.
  d.
  This elevated area is a sucking tubercle caused from the friction of breastfeeding or bottle-feeding and is normal.

Question 4

The nurse is assessing a patient with a history of intravenous drug abuse. In assessing his mouth, the nurse notices a dark red confluent macule on the hard palate. This could be an early sign of:
 
  a. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
  b. Measles.
  c. Leukemia. d.
  Carcinoma.

Question 5

The nurse is assessing a patient in the hospital who has received numerous antibiotics and notices that his tongue appears to be black and hairy. In response to his concern, what would the nurse say?
 
  a. We will need to get a biopsy to determine the cause.
  b. This is an overgrowth of hair and will go away in a few days.
  c. Black, hairy tongue is a fungal infection caused by all the antibiotics you have received.
  d. This is probably caused by the same bacteria you had in your lungs.

Question 6

A mother is concerned because her 18-month-old toddler has 12 teeth. She is wondering if this is normal for a child of this age. The nurse's best response would be:
 
  a. How many teeth did you have at this age?
  b. All 20 deciduous teeth are expected to erupt by age 4 years.
  c. This is a normal number of teeth for an 18 month old.
  d. Normally, by age 2 years, 16 deciduous teeth are expected.

Question 7

A 40-year-old patient who has just finished chemotherapy for breast cancer tells the nurse that she is concerned about her mouth. During the assessment the nurse finds areas of buccal mucosa that are raw and red with some bleeding,
 
  as well as other areas that have a white, cheesy coating. The nurse recognizes that this abnormality is:
  a.
  Aphthous ulcers.
  b.
  Candidiasis.
  c.
  Leukoplakia.
  d.
  Koplik spots.

Question 8

A pregnant woman states that she is concerned about her gums because she has noticed they are swollen and have started bleeding. What would be an appropriate response by the nurse?
 
  a. Your condition is probably due to a vitamin C deficiency.
  b. I'm not sure what causes swollen and bleeding gums, but let me know if it's not better in a few weeks.
  c. You need to make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible to have this checked.
  d. Swollen and bleeding gums can be caused by the change in hormonal balance in your system during pregnancy.