Are Amalgam Tattoos a Problem?

If you’ve ever had amalgam work in your mouth, you may have developed a spot of minor discoloration within your mouth. This spot may appear as a blue-gray stain on your cheek or gums. Our Lynnwood dentistry clinic knows these stains as amalgam tattoos.

As its name suggests, an amalgam tattoo occurs when some of the amalgam used in your treatment manages to embed itself in the soft tissues of your mouth like tattoo ink. These are generally nothing to worry about, though you can have them removed with a minor surgical procedure if the discoloration bothers you.

What you need to look out for is any changes occurring in your amalgam tattoo. If the patch grows or changes color, chances are good that it is not an amalgam tattoo after all. This may be a sign of oral cancer or a similar condition, which you should bring to your dentist as quickly as possible.