Nicotine Stomatitis

For your dental health.

Nicotine stomatitis is a lesion that develops on the hard or soft palate
of some smokers. It appears as white with raised red dots; the red
areas represent inflamed ducts of the minor mucous glands. The
surface usually has a rough texture, which makes the palate appear
cooked. The appearance of the lesions may become more prominent
as the condition persists.
The lesions are persistent, continuing as long as smoking persists.
There are usually no symptoms associated with this condition, even
when it is long-standing. If smoking is lessened significantly or
discontinued, the lesions may disappear completely, depending on the
extent of the tissue changes.
Nicotine stomatitis is most common in men over 40 years of age. Pipe and cigar smokers develop nicotine
stomatitis condition most frequently, but it also occurs in cigarette smokers. Nicotine stomatitis is often
associated with the habit of holding the smoke in the mouth for
extended periods of time as opposed to quickly exhaling it.
Although tobacco usage is unquestionably associated with cancer in
some patients, there is no sound evidence of nicotine stomatitis being
a pre-cancerous condition. However, for optimum oral as well as
overall health, tobacco use of any kind should be avoided.
Copyright 2004. Patterson Dental Supply, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The lesions associated with nicotine stomatitis may disappear when
tobacco use is discontinued. Treatments for this condition include
medications and techniques aimed at smoking cessation.
Treatment Options
What is Nicotine Stomatitis?
On hard or soft palate
Caused by smoking
Lesions across palate