ABSTRACT
The lips and oral cavity is the most antral portion of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and are most accessible to visual examination by the clinician. A lingual or oral problem can be an independent abnormality or a component of a systemic disease, nutritional deficiency, or a GI disease. Oral melanotic macules occur on the oral mucosa and present with one or more flat brown to black areas, sometimes with irregular borders and mottled pigmentation, on average 2–4 mm in size, but no larger than 1 cm. The most important lesion to distinguish from melanotic macule is early melanoma, although it is very rare. The appearance is also similar to an amalgam tattoo or oral nevus. Probing for attachment loss, checking for tooth mobility, and obtaining radiographs to assess the bone levels around the teeth helps with the diagnosis. Prognosis is good with timely diagnosis and surgical management.
