During choking in a dental setting, a cycle consists of performing how many back slaps and chest thrusts?

• A. 5 back slaps and 5 chest thrusts
• B. 4 back slaps and 4 chest thrusts
• C. 3 back slaps and 3 chest thrusts
• D. 5 back slaps and 5 abdominal thrusts

Answer: (A)

Choking relief relies on a rhythm that can generate enough air movement to dislodge the obstruction. The standard cycle is five back blows (slaps) delivered between the shoulder blades, followed by five chest thrusts just above the navel. This 5-and-5 sequence is repeated until the object is expelled or the person loses consciousness. The option that matches this exact 5 back slaps and 5 chest thrusts aligns with the recommended approach. The other choices either use a different count or swap to abdominal thrusts, which is a variation of the technique in some situations but not the cycle described here. If the blockage isn’t relieved and the person becomes unresponsive, proceed with emergency steps and CPR.