During an oral health assessment, which material is used to detect sensitivity in a tooth?

The correct answer is ethyl chloride, which is commonly used during oral health assessments to test for tooth sensitivity. Ethyl chloride is a cold spray that can rapidly cool a specific area of the tooth, helping to evaluate the response of the pulp when exposed to cold stimuli. This testing method is particularly useful in assessing the vitality of the tooth, as a sensitive response can indicate healthy pulp, while a lack of response may suggest pulp necrosis or other issues.

Using ethyl chloride is a standard practice in dental assessments, as it provides a reliable indication of sensitivity that can guide further diagnostic or treatment decisions. Other materials mentioned, such as alginate, cologne, and cement, do not serve this purpose. Alginate is primarily used for making dental impressions, cologne is not related to dental practices, and cement is utilized for various restorative and prosthetic applications but not for sensitivity testing. Therefore, ethyl chloride is the appropriate choice for detecting sensitivity in a tooth during an oral health assessment.