The Sulcus Bleeding Index assessment uses which procedure?

• A. Visual inspection only
• B. Tongue pressure test
• C. Gentle sulcus probing
• D. Hard probing

Answer: (C)

The Sulcus Bleeding Index relies on observing gingival bleeding after gentle probing of the gingival sulcus. This method assesses inflammation by applying light, controlled probing pressure to the sulcus and noting whether bleeding occurs, rather than relying on visual appearance alone or on more forceful probing. Visual inspection may miss early or subtle inflammation, and hard probing can cause tissue trauma that falsely elevates bleeding readings. A tongue pressure test isn’t used for this index, so the correct approach is to perform gentle sulcus probing with a periodontal probe and record bleeding responses. This gentle probing captures the true bleeding tendency of the gingival tissues, providing a standardized measure of inflammation.