Smoker's Palate: An Often Misunderstood Benign Lesion of the Oral Cavity

Smoker's palate is a type of lesion that occurs on the mucosa of the hard and soft palate almost exclusively in smokers. This lesion is prevalent in smokers who practice reverse smoking and less common in cigar and cigarette smokers. The lesion known as smoker's palate is also referred to as nicotina stomatitis and nicotina palatini, which suggests the role of nicotine in the manifestation of the lesion, but this is a misnomer as the lesion occurs due to the impact of heat coupled with the irritation caused by agents such as tobacco and marijuana; there is no role of nicotine in it. Patients who notice this lesion tend to misinterpret it as an early manifestation of squamous cell carcinoma. Although this is not true, this can be an excellent opportunity to counsel patients regarding the ill effects of smoking and guide them to quit the habit, citing that it causes cancer. This article presents a case report of a 27-year-old male with a smoker's palate. This article also highlights the importance of dental practitioners in diagnosing the lesion and how patients often misunderstand this lesion as a severe condition.