Pre-Clinic II Practice Test

What is the primary purpose of prophylaxis paste?

To whiten enamel. To remove stains and biofilm from tooth surfaces during polishing. To seal fissures. To desensitize dentin.

Correct Answer:

To remove stains and biofilm from tooth surfaces during polishing.

Explanation:

The main idea is that prophylaxis paste is used during the polishing step of a professional cleaning to remove surface stains and biofilm from tooth surfaces. Its mild abrasive particles help scrub away extrinsic stains and smooth the enamel, making plaque less likely to cling and giving teeth a cleaner, shinier appearance. Whitening intrinsic discoloration isn’t the primary goal of this paste; true whitening involves agents that change tooth color more deeply, not just surface polish. Sealing fissures is done with fissure sealants, and desensitizing dentin uses different agents, so those aren’t the purposes of prophylaxis paste.

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