Smokers' melanosis in a Nigerian population: a preliminary study.

Aim: Terms relating to pigmentation of the oral mucosa include physiologic (racial) pigmentation, oral pigmented nevi, oral melanotic maculae, melanoma, and smokers' melanosis. The literature is replete with studies about oral mucosal pigmentation which is thought to result from melanin incontinence. The documented etiological factors are both local and systemic and include hormones, drugs, smoking, and idiopathic causes.