Redness shaped like the denture, burning and cracked lip corners: the causes, treatment and prevention of denture stomatitis.
Denture wearers develop oral fungal infection because the space under the denture is closed, moist and low in oxygen, which is an ideal environment for Candida. The organism is already present in small numbers in most mouths; it only causes disease when conditions change. Sleeping in the denture, inadequate cleaning and a poorly fitting denture are the three main reasons. The typical picture is a red area on the palate that follows the outline of the denture almost exactly.
Signs and symptoms
- A bright red area on the palate shaped like the denture.
- Burning, worse with hot or spicy food.
- A metallic or altered taste.
- Redness, cracking and crusting at the corners of the mouth.
- A red tongue with flattened papillae.
- In some cases white plaques that wipe off, leaving a red bleeding surface.
- A denture that becomes dirty and smells faster than usual.
Some of these may be entirely absent. Palatal redness in particular can persist for years unnoticed, because it is often painless. For denture wearers a regular examination may be the only way it is ever detected.
What increases the risk
- Sleeping with the denture in, by far the strongest factor.
- Rinsing the denture instead of brushing it.
- Dry mouth and the loss of saliva's protective effect.
- Poorly controlled diabetes.
- Recent broad spectrum antibiotics.
- Corticosteroid inhalers used without rinsing afterwards.
- Smoking.
- Poor nutrition, iron or B vitamin deficiency.
- Constant micro trauma from an ill fitting denture.
How it is treated
The critical point is that treating the mouth alone is not enough: the denture must be treated too. Fungus living in the pores of the acrylic will simply reinfect the tissue once medication stops, so treatment always runs on two tracks.
- Diagnosis by a dentist and antifungal medication if indicated.
- Daily mechanical cleaning of the denture with a brush.
- Overnight soaking in the solution your dentist recommends.
- Removing the denture at night without exception during treatment.
- Daily cleaning of gums and tongue with a soft brush.
- Relining or renewing the denture if it does not fit.
- Looking for an underlying cause: blood sugar, dry mouth, medication.
Medication must be prescribed. Antifungal drugs can interact with some cardiac and cholesterol medicines, so tell your dentist everything you take, and complete the full course even after symptoms settle.
Cracks at the corners of the mouth
Red, cracked corners may look like a skin problem but are often an extension of the infection inside the mouth. In addition, as a denture wears down over the years the vertical height decreases, the corners fold inwards and saliva pools there, keeping the skin constantly irritated. Cream alone will not solve this; the height of the denture has to be reassessed.
Preventing recurrence
- Make removing the denture at night a permanent habit.
- Brush it at least once a day rather than only rinsing.
- Wash the storage container and change its water daily.
- Have the denture professionally cleaned once a year.
- Rinse your mouth after every inhaler use.
- Investigate and manage dry mouth.
- Arrange a denture review as soon as the fit changes.
- With a partial denture, have the gum health of the remaining teeth checked regularly.
Denture stomatitis resolves with correct diagnosis and consistent denture hygiene, but it returns if habits do not change. If you notice redness, burning or persistent cracks at the corners of your mouth, arrange an examination. Our Muratpasa clinic assesses denture fit and tissue health together.
