Oral pathology: cysts and odontogenic tumours: floor of mouth dermoid cyst: practice question

A Dentistry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Dentistry · Oral pathology: cysts and odontogenic tumours: floor of mouth dermoid cyst

Sample item

A 20-year-old has a painless midline floor-of-mouth swelling that feels doughy and retains finger indentation. It raises the tongue and the patient notes it slowly enlarging since puberty. What is the diagnosis?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Dermoid cyst

A dermoid cyst lies in the midline of the floor of the mouth and has a doughy consistency that pits on pressure because it contains keratin and sebaceous material. A ranula is lateral and bluish with mucus. A thyroglossal cyst moves on tongue protrusion.

Option by option

  • A. Lingual thyroid

    A lingual thyroid is a firm mass at the base of the tongue.

  • B. Thyroglossal duct cyst

    A thyroglossal duct cyst is in the neck and moves with tongue protrusion and swallowing.

  • C. Ranula

    A ranula is a lateral, bluish and fluctuant mucus swelling.

  • D. Dermoid cyst (correct)

    Correct. A doughy, pitting midline swelling is a dermoid cyst.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is D, Dermoid cyst. A dermoid cyst lies in the midline of the floor of the mouth and has a doughy consistency that pits on pressure because it contains keratin and sebaceous material.

Why is "Lingual thyroid" not the answer?

A lingual thyroid is a firm mass at the base of the tongue.

Why is "Thyroglossal duct cyst" not the answer?

A thyroglossal duct cyst is in the neck and moves with tongue protrusion and swallowing.

Why is "Ranula" not the answer?

A ranula is a lateral, bluish and fluctuant mucus swelling.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral pathology: cysts and odontogenic tumours: floor of mouth dermoid cyst in Dentistry. A ranula is lateral and bluish with mucus. A thyroglossal cyst moves on tongue protrusion.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Oral pathology: cysts and odontogenic tumours: floor of mouth dermoid cyst?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.