Skin
Medicines for Angular cheilitis
Sore, cracked, red skin at the corners of the mouth, often from moisture and infection — usually easily treated once the cause is addressed.
Education and reference only. This explains which medicines are used and why, in plain language — it deliberately contains no doses and is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always discuss your own treatment with a qualified clinician, and check the BNF and the product labelling for prescribing detail.
Quick answer
What is Angular cheilitis?
Angular cheilitis is a common condition causing sore, red, cracked or crusted skin at the corners of the mouth, on one or both sides. It can be uncomfortable or painful, especially when opening the mouth, eating, or smiling, and the corners may feel dry, split or ooze and crust over.
- How it is treated: Treatment aims to clear the infection, heal the skin, and address the underlying cause to prevent it coming back.
- Self-care: Keeping the corners of the mouth clean and dry, using a barrier balm to protect the skin, avoiding lip-licking, treating chapped lips, ensuring well-fitting dentures, and addressing any nutritional deficiency or underlying condition all help clear and prevent angular cheilitis.
- When to seek help: See a GP or pharmacist about sore, cracked corners of the mouth, especially if they do not improve with a barrier balm and simple care, or keep recurring, so the infection can be treated and any underlying cause (such as a deficiency or diabetes) checked.
What it is
Angular cheilitis is a common condition causing sore, red, cracked or crusted skin at the corners of the mouth, on one or both sides. It can be uncomfortable or painful, especially when opening the mouth, eating, or smiling, and the corners may feel dry, split or ooze and crust over. It develops when the corners of the mouth become and stay moist — for example from saliva pooling there — which allows infection (often a yeast such as candida, and sometimes bacteria) to take hold in the softened, broken skin. Contributing factors include anything that causes saliva to gather at the corners (such as deep folds at the mouth corners, ill-fitting dentures, or lip-licking), dry or chapped lips, dribbling, and factors that lower resistance to infection, such as some nutritional deficiencies (for example iron or certain B vitamins), diabetes, or a weakened immune system. It is usually easily treated once the cause is addressed.
How it is treated
Treatment aims to clear the infection, heal the skin, and address the underlying cause to prevent it coming back. Depending on the likely infection, a cream (antifungal, sometimes combined with an anti-inflammatory or antibacterial) is applied to the corners of the mouth, and a barrier ointment (such as a lip balm or petroleum jelly) helps protect the skin and reduce moisture damage. Keeping the corners of the mouth clean and dry, avoiding lip-licking, and treating chapped lips all help. Importantly, addressing any contributing factor is key to lasting improvement — for example correcting ill-fitting dentures, checking for and treating nutritional deficiencies (such as iron or B vitamins) or diabetes, and managing anything that causes saliva to pool. If it is persistent or recurrent, a doctor may check for these underlying factors. With treatment of both the infection and the cause, angular cheilitis usually clears well. The reassuring message is that it is common and treatable.
For this condition, these medicines
Medicine classes used for Angular cheilitis
Each links to a full, dose-free guide — what it is, how it works, who can and cannot use it, side effects, interactions and FAQs.
Beyond medication
Lifestyle and self-care
Keeping the corners of the mouth clean and dry, using a barrier balm to protect the skin, avoiding lip-licking, treating chapped lips, ensuring well-fitting dentures, and addressing any nutritional deficiency or underlying condition all help clear and prevent angular cheilitis.
When to get help
When to see a doctor
See a GP or pharmacist about sore, cracked corners of the mouth, especially if they do not improve with a barrier balm and simple care, or keep recurring, so the infection can be treated and any underlying cause (such as a deficiency or diabetes) checked.
Not sure how urgent it is? It is always OK to call NHS 111 for advice, day or night.
Answers
Angular cheilitis: frequently asked questions
What causes cracked corners of the mouth?
Angular cheilitis develops when the corners of the mouth stay moist (for example from saliva pooling), allowing infection (often a yeast) to take hold. Contributing factors include ill-fitting dentures, lip-licking, chapped lips, and sometimes nutritional deficiencies or diabetes.
How is angular cheilitis treated?
With a cream to clear the infection and a barrier balm to protect the skin, plus keeping the corners clean and dry — and, importantly, addressing the underlying cause (such as dentures or a deficiency) to prevent it recurring.
Sources
Where this is drawn from
- NHS — Angular cheilitis / sore mouth
- British Association of Dermatologists guidance
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