FCPS Part 1 Dentistry MCQs by Subject: Biochemistry, Physiology & Microbiology

FCPS Part 1 Dentistry draws heavily on the basic sciences before it reaches the dental specialties. Biochemistry, Physiology and Microbiology are three of the bank's larger subjects by question volume, and none of them has a dedicated post yet — even though Anatomy, Pathology, Pharmacology and the dental specialties already do. Below is a sample across all three.

Biochemistry

1. Which vitamin deficiency classically causes bleeding gums and poor wound healing, due to defective collagen synthesis?

• A) Vitamin B12
• B) Vitamin C ✅
• C) Vitamin D
• D) Vitamin K

2. Saliva's buffering capacity against cariogenic acid is attributed mainly to which buffer system?

• A) Phosphate buffer
• B) Bicarbonate buffer ✅
• C) Protein buffer
• D) Ammonia buffer

Physiology

3. Which is the strongest muscle of mastication, primarily responsible for generating bite force?

• A) Temporalis
• B) Masseter ✅
• C) Medial pterygoid
• D) Lateral pterygoid

4. Taste sensation from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue is carried by which nerve?

• A) Glossopharyngeal (IX)
• B) Facial (VII), via the chorda tympani ✅
• C) Vagus (X)
• D) Hypoglossal (XII)

Microbiology

5. Which organism is considered the primary causative agent of dental caries, due to its acid production and biofilm-forming ability?

• A) Streptococcus mutans ✅
• B) Staphylococcus aureus
• C) Lactobacillus acidophilus
• D) Actinomyces israelii

6. Which bacterium is classically identified as a core pathogen of the "red complex" in chronic periodontitis?

• A) Porphyromonas gingivalis ✅
• B) Streptococcus mutans
• C) Candida albicans
• D) Fusobacterium nucleatum

Why the Basic Sciences Dominate the Question Pool

It's easy to assume an FCPS Part 1 Dentistry paper is mostly about dental specialties — Prosthodontics, Orthodontics, Oral Surgery. In HighYield's own bank, Biochemistry, Physiology and Microbiology together carry more questions than several dental specialties combined, and they're tested at a depth beyond BDS revision.

HighYield's FCPS Part 1 Dentistry question bank covers every subject in the paper, each question explained. For the full syllabus breakdown, see our FCPS Dentistry Part 1 syllabus guide, or check the most repeated FCPS Part 1 Dentistry MCQs. Try the first 20 questions free, no sign-in required.