Cracked, Sore Mouth Corners After 50: Angular Cheilitis, Dentures and What Helps

Cracked, red, sore corners of the mouth have a name: angular cheilitis.¹ They’re more common with age, affecting about 11% of older adults, and up to three times more common in people who wear dentures.¹ Lip balm alone often doesn’t fix them because there’s usually a cause underneath.

Common causes after 50

• Saliva pooling. Skin loses firmness with age, lines deepen at the mouth corners, and worn teeth or ill-fitting dentures can make the mouth close more deeply. All of these let saliva collect in the corners.¹
• Yeast and bacteria. Infection is the most common cause, usually Candida yeast, a staph bacterium, or both.¹ Dentures can harbor yeast.¹
• Dry mouth, including from Sjögren’s disease, radiation and some medicines.¹
• Low iron or B vitamins. Up to a quarter of cases are linked to these, and older adults and people with celiac disease are at higher risk.¹
• Other triggers: diabetes, long courses of antibiotics, inhaled or oral steroids, and reactions to toothpaste, mouthwash, lipstick or old lip balm.¹

What usually helps

• A barrier. Petroleum jelly or a plain emollient protects the corners from saliva and is often enough when no infection is found.¹
• Antifungal cream if yeast is suspected, often applied three times a day for two weeks. Options include clotrimazole or miconazole, sometimes with a mild hydrocortisone.¹
• Antibacterial ointment if staph is involved, sometimes also applied inside the nostrils, where staph can live and reinfect.¹
• Treating the cause, such as refitting dentures, managing blood sugar, or correcting low iron or B12.

A follow-up check after about two weeks helps confirm it’s healing.¹

Denture checks

• Clean dentures daily and take them out overnight if your dentist recommends it. Our guide to denture care mistakes explains how.
• Ask whether your dentures still fit, since worn dentures can change how your lips close.

When to get it looked at

A sore that’s only on one side and won’t heal with treatment needs a closer look.¹ Our guides to oral cancer screening, dry, cracked lips and inhaler thrush cover related concerns.

Questions to ask

1. Is this yeast, bacteria or irritation?
2. Do my dentures need relining or replacing?
3. Should we check my iron, B12 or blood sugar?

Try: “The corners of my mouth have been cracked for a month. I wear an upper denture. Could it be yeast, and do my dentures need adjusting?”

Is It My Breath? includes a visit script. Use it to note how long the cracks have lasted, what you’ve tried and whether you wear dentures.