Which patients are more likely to experience an acute exacerbation of underlying medical issues during routine dental care?

• A. Patients with underlying medical problems
• B. Healthy athletes
• C. Young children
• D. Patients without chronic conditions

Answer: (A)

Routine dental care can act as a physiological stressor that may destabilize existing medical conditions. The stress of procedures—pain, anxiety, possible infection, and any needed medications or sedation—can push a medical issue from stable to acute, especially if the condition is not well controlled. For someone with underlying problems, this can manifest as a flare or decompensation, such as high blood pressure or heart-related symptoms in cardiovascular disease, disrupted glucose control in diabetes, or infections that the body can’t easily fight. Healthy individuals without chronic issues are far less likely to experience an acute worsening of a medical problem merely from routine dental care. So, patients with underlying medical problems are the most prone to this kind of acute exacerbation during a dental visit.