Which statement is true regarding gingival color in darker-skinned individuals?

• A. Gingival color may be pigmented
• B. Gingival color is always coral pink
• C. Gingiva is always pigmented only in light-skinned people
• D. Color is irrelevant to health

Answer: (A)

Gingival color reflects pigment production in the tissue as well as the underlying blood supply. In darker-skinned individuals, higher melanin in the gingival epithelium can produce pigmented gingiva that appears brown to black. This is a normal variation and does not by itself indicate disease or inflammation. So, gingival color may be pigmented is the true statement.

The other ideas aren’t accurate because gingiva is not universally coral pink for everyone, pigmentation can occur in various ethnic groups (not just light-skinned people), and while color alone isn’t a sole health determinant, noticeable color changes can signal pathology in some cases (pigmentation itself is often harmless, but color can still be a clinical clue if it changes or is accompanied by signs of disease).