Kanokkorn Kijkanjanamongkol¹ and Pirawish Limlawan^2,3

¹Residency Training, Department of Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand
²Department of Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand
³Center of Excellence and Innovation for Oral Health and Healthy Longevity, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand

*Corresponding Author: Pirawish Limlawan, Department of Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University and Center of Excellence and Innovation for Oral Health and Healthy Longevity, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand.

Received: April 25, 2025; Published: May 12, 2025

Abstract

Angular cheilitis (AC) is an inflammatory condition affecting the corners of the mouth, leading to pain or a burning sensation when opening and closing the mouth. It can arise from various causes, including microbial infections. However, since pain is the primary symptom, patients may mistakenly identify AC as another type of oral ulceration. Additionally, with topical steroids being readily available over the counter at the pharmacy, patients might self-apply the topical steroids, as steroids are widely recognized for treating oral ulcers in Thailand. This case report describes a 27-year-old female with a chief complaint of pain at the corner of the mouth for 3 months. She applied the over-the-counter triamcinolone for 2 weeks. However, the symptoms worsened so she presented at our department. The extraoral examination revealed AC at both sides of the oral commissure. The intraoral examination revealed pseudomembranous candidiasis extending from the commissures to the buccal mucosae along with erythema area at palatal gingiva. The topical steroid was discontinued, then antifungal gel and chlorhexidine were prescribed for treatment. After 2 weeks, all of the lesion and symptoms resolved. This case report highlights the importance of awareness in topical steroid usage. As Candidiasis is a potential side effect of steroid use, and since AC may be Candida-related, steroids can exacerbate the condition.

Keywords: Angular Cheilitis; Topical Steroid; Pseudomembranous Candidiasis; Oral Candidiasis; Thrush

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Citation

Citation: Kanokkorn Kijkanjanamongkol and Pirawish Limlawan. “Pseudomembranous Candidiasis Superimposed on Angular Cheilitis Due to Topical Steroid Misuse : A Case Report". Acta Scientific Dental Sciences 9.6 (2025): 02-06.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Kanokkorn Kijkanjanamongkol and Pirawish Limlawan. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.