{{Short description, Medical condition Bismuthia is a rare dermatological condition that results from the prolonged use of

bismuth Bismuth is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Bi and atomic number 83. It is a post-transition metal and one of the pnictogens, with chemical properties resembling its lighter group 15 siblings arsenic and antimony. Elemental ...

. Much more rarely than with silver, bismuth may produce a generalized persistent skin discoloration resembling

argyria Argyria or argyrosis is a condition caused by excessive exposure to chemical compounds of the element silver, or to silver dust. The most dramatic symptom of argyria is that the skin turns blue or blue-grey. It may take the form of ''generalized ...

. The conjunctivae and oral mucosa, as well as skin, are commonly afflicted by the condition. Pigment granules are evenly scattered through the dermis, producing a blue, or bluish gray skin color by the scattering phenomenon. It is extremely rare, and as a consequence is poorly understood by modern medicine. Special stains and spectroscopic methods must be utilized for identification of skin pigments affected by bismuth. Usually, bismuth produces a black line, due to bismuth sulfide, along the gums, near the teeth, similar to the

Burton's line Burton's line, also known as the Burton line or Burtonian line, is a clinical sign found in patients with chronic lead poisoning. It is a very thin, black-blue line visible along the margin of the gums, at the base of the teeth. The sign was desc ...

which can be found in

lead poisoning Lead poisoning, also known as plumbism and saturnism, is a type of metal poisoning caused by lead in the body. The brain is the most sensitive. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, constipation, headaches, irritability, memory problems, inferti ...

. This is not likely to occur if the gum is

edentulous Toothlessness, or edentulism, is the condition of having no teeth. In organisms that naturally have teeth, it is the result of tooth loss. Organisms that never possessed teeth can also be described as edentulous. Examples are the members of the ...

or the gum and the teeth normal. It is more common when gingivitis and carious teeth are present. Bismuth excess may cause

stomatitis Stomatitis is inflammation of the mouth and lips. It refers to any inflammatory process affecting the mucous membranes of the mouth and lips, with or without oral ulceration. In its widest meaning, stomatitis can have a multitude of different cau ...

. On even rarer occasions, bismuth has been reported to cause pigmentation of the

vagina In mammals, the vagina is the elastic, muscular part of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vestibule to the cervix. The outer vaginal opening is normally partly covered by a thin layer of mucosal tissue called the hymen ...

and

cervix The cervix or cervix uteri (Latin, 'neck of the uterus') is the lower part of the uterus (womb) in the human female reproductive system. The cervix is usually 2 to 3 cm long (~1 inch) and roughly cylindrical in shape, which changes during ...

References

* The University of Massachusetts Online Article on Pigmentation Diseas

* Beerman & Colburn - American Journal of the Medical Sciences, Volume 231: 451, 1956 * Jeghers - New England Journal of Medicine 231: 122 & 181, 1944 Bismuth Disturbances of human pigmentation