Blue lips and gums

[Julia]

I have blue (or purple) areas on my lips, both upper and lower, as well as on my gums.  I would like to know the cause of this.
Thank  you for a reply.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Julia:

Unfortunately, I can't answer you without seeing you and knowing how long these have been there.  They could be collections of blood vessels.  Surely, some doctors or dentists must have seen these over the years, if the spots have been there for a while.  If they're new, you ought to show them to someone as soon as feasible.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[Julia]

The blue marks have been on my lips and gums for over a year, if not longer.  I have talked with my dentist and my doctors and none of them can explain it to me.  One doctor said it could indicate that there was not enough oxygen in the blood so he tested for that - my reading was 97.  He said a normal amount of oxygen would read 90, so the spots cannot be from that. He admitted he did not know what caused the spots but suggested that we not worry about it.

I have consulted a Hematologyist-Oncologist about bleeding because on many occasions in the past I have had bleeding under the skin whenever I had surgery, in some cases my body turned purple from waist to eye, but did not cause the blue marks on the lips and gums.    The Hemnatologyist ran tests and concluded that I probably have "a forme fruste of von Willebrand's disease". In earlier blood tests another Hematologist-Oncologist found that I had "qaulitative platelet defect (manifested by decreased platelet aggregation with ADP and epinephrine)." Epinephrine had been used in the past.  The problem seems to be checked as long as I do not use anti-inflammatories and/or epinephrine.  

In 1981 I had "Focal Epithelial Melanosis" removed from above my two front teeth, but this appeared as one large purple spot over each tooth.  They were benign.  The present spots are spread over both lips and through out the gum areas.  My dentist does not think this is the same as the Focal Epithelial Melanosis.  You may have hit upon the correct answer.  Is there anything that should be done about this?  Is there anything that can be done about this?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Thanks.  I guess the only definitive test would be a biopsy, probably by an oral surgeon.  It doesn't sound as though the results would make the effort worthwhile, though, since trestment probably won't be needed (or possible), and it may well not answer your question ("Why are they there?") anyway.  If everyone agrees they're not serious, maybe the best approach is to live with them.

Dr. Rockoff

[Julia]

Thank you for your reply.  I'll take your advice.

[lisa]

Hello,
I am a dental hygienist and I have seen these types of lesions and they are known as Nevi.More common in people of African American, Hispanic, and generally darker complected populations

[kimsnoopy]

A related discussion, blue Lips was started.