Clinical topics

Quick chairside summaries citing official guidelines, with UK/Europe and US guidance side by side.

• Emergencies

  Anaphylaxis

  Airway, breathing or circulation problems with skin/mucosal changes after an allergen.

• Emergencies

  Vasovagal syncope

  Most common chairside emergency. Brief loss of consciousness.

• Emergencies

  Hypoglycaemia

  Blood glucose < 4 mmol/L (70 mg/dL) in a diabetic patient.

• Pharmacology

  Antibiotic prophylaxis (endocarditis)

  AHA 2021 regimens, single dose 30–60 min before the procedure.

• Pharmacology

  Analgesics for dental pain

  Ibuprofen + paracetamol combination is first line for most adults.

• Pharmacology

  Antibiotics for odontogenic infection

  Only with spreading infection or systemic signs; drainage first.

• Medically compromised

  Patients on anticoagulants

  Warfarin and DOACs — usually do not stop for routine extractions.

• Procedures

  Avulsed permanent tooth

  Replant as soon as possible — ideally within 15 minutes.

• Procedures

  Dry socket (alveolar osteitis)

  Severe pain 2–4 days after extraction, empty socket, halitosis.

• Emergencies

  Local anaesthetic systemic toxicity

  Agitation, tinnitus, perioral tingling, seizures or arrhythmia after LA.

• Pharmacology

  Local anaesthetic techniques

  Infiltration vs blocks — which teeth, landmarks and tips.

• Pharmacology

  Adrenaline in LA for cardiac patients

  How much vasoconstrictor is safe in heart disease.

• Pharmacology

  Children's drug doses

  Common analgesic and antibiotic doses for children.

• Diagnosis

  Pulp & periapical diagnosis

  Reversible vs irreversible pulpitis, necrosis and apical periodontitis.

• Diagnosis

  Tooth notation: FDI, Universal, Palmer

  Convert between notation systems quickly.

• Diagnosis

  Periodontal staging & grading (2017)

  Classify periodontitis by stage (severity) and grade (progression).