A 54-year-old patient presents to the dental office. Medical…
A 54-year-old patient presents to the dental office. Medical/social history is unremarkable except that he smokes a half a pack of cigarettes a day. Gingival examination reveals erythematous, edematous, and bleeding gingival. Periodontal examination: 3–8 mm probing depths, bleeding on probing, multiple furcation defects, gingival recession. There is evidence of root caries and yellowish brown intrinsic stains. The dorsal surface of his tongue is brown. The patient’s chief complaint is “A tooth hurts when I eat ice cream or drink a cold Mt. Dew, and it’s sensitive even to air when I breathe in.” All of the following are initial appropriate recommendations for this patient except which one?