Infection Control · single question
A patient with active secondary tuberculosis presents with a severe toothache and facial swelling from a heavily decayed tooth 18. Which treatment does the CDC and OSHA recommend?
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Correct answer: B. Delay dental care until the patient has been declared noninfectious by a physician
CDC and OSHA guidelines are clear: patients with active (infectious) tuberculosis should NOT receive elective dental treatment. Dental treatment should be deferred until the physician declares the patient noninfectious (typically after 2-3 weeks of effective anti-TB treatment with documented negative sputum cultures). Even with N95 protection, elective dental care should wait. Only true dental emergencies would be treated in an airborne infection isolation room with full PPE.
- A. INCORRECT. Waiting only for symptoms to subside is insufficient — TB can remain infectious even when symptomatic improvement occurs. Medical clearance is required.
- B. CORRECT. CDC and OSHA guidelines state that non-emergency dental care for patients with active TB should be DEFERRED until the patient's physician declares them noninfectious. Active TB is highly contagious via aerosolized droplets.
- C. INCORRECT. Universal precautions (standard precautions) are insufficient for airborne TB transmission. TB requires airborne precautions: N95 respirators AND airborne infection isolation facilities.
- D. INCORRECT. While N95 respirators provide protection for the healthcare worker, treating an actively infectious TB patient in a regular dental office (without a negative pressure airborne isolation room) violates CDC/OSHA guidelines for elective care.
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