Oral medicine: recurrent aphthous ulcer: 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 medicine: recurrent aphthous ulcer

Sample item

A young adult has recurrent painful round ulcers with a grey-yellow base and red halo on the labial mucosa, healing in 10 days without scarring. What is the diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis

Minor aphthae are shallow ulcers under 1 cm on non-keratinised mucosa that heal without scarring. Herpes labialis affects keratinised lip skin with vesicles, and Behcet disease adds genital ulcers and uveitis.

Option by option

  • A. Squamous cell carcinoma

    Carcinoma presents as an indurated non-healing ulcer.

  • B. Behcet disease

    Behcet disease needs genital ulcers or eye disease.

  • C. Herpes labialis

    Herpes labialis forms vesicles on the vermilion border.

  • D. Minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis (correct)

    Correct. The description fits minor aphthae.

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, Minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis. Minor aphthae are shallow ulcers under 1 cm on non-keratinised mucosa that heal without scarring.

Why is "Squamous cell carcinoma" not the answer?

Carcinoma presents as an indurated non-healing ulcer.

Why is "Behcet disease" not the answer?

Behcet disease needs genital ulcers or eye disease.

Why is "Herpes labialis" not the answer?

Herpes labialis forms vesicles on the vermilion border.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral medicine: recurrent aphthous ulcer in Dentistry. Herpes labialis affects keratinised lip skin with vesicles, and Behcet disease adds genital ulcers and uveitis.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. 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 medicine: recurrent aphthous ulcer?

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.