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Pathology · patient case question

What oral care recommendation follows from her inhaler use?

Patient case: 14-year-old with asthma and a nut allergy

Patient: 14-year-old girl attending with her mother.

Chief complaint: Her mother says she is unhappy with the appearance of her teeth.

History: Asthma managed with albuterol. Reported allergy to nuts. Otherwise healthy.

Findings: Mild crowding of the maxillary anterior teeth. No caries. No mucosal lesions at present.

  1. Avoid drinking water for an hour after using the inhaler
  2. Brush immediately and vigorously after each use
  3. Apply the inhaler directly onto the gingiva
  4. Rinse the mouth with water after each inhaler use
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D. Rinse the mouth with water after each inhaler use

  • A. Withholding water does the opposite of what helps and worsens the dryness.
  • B. A simple water rinse is the standard advice; forceful immediate brushing is not required and can abrade.
  • C. Inhalers deliver drug to the airway and are never applied to gingival tissue.
  • D. CORRECT. Rinsing and spitting after inhaler use clears residual drug from the oropharynx. With corticosteroid inhalers this is the single most effective preventive step against oral candidiasis, and a spacer helps further. It also mitigates inhaler-related dryness.

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