Living with Dentures

My denture is rubbing and I have a sore on my palate: what should I do?

The spot that rubs can usually be sorted out with a quick adjustment; waiting makes the sore bigger

When one spot on a denture presses too hard on the gum or the palate, a painful sore opens up there. On this page we explain why the sore forms, what its position tells you, what you can do at home until you see your dentist and what you should not do, and how the spot that rubs is found and corrected at the clinic. We also explain how to recognise a sore that needs to be examined regardless of the denture.

Short answer

A denture sore is a pressure sore that opens up when an edge of the denture, or a spot on its inside surface, presses too hard on the tissues of the mouth. The solution is for the spot that rubs to be found at the clinic and a little material taken off the denture; this is usually a quick procedure, and the sore starts to heal within a few days. Until your appointment, wearing the denture as little as possible and rinsing your mouth with warm salt water brings relief. Do not sand the denture down at home. A sore that has not healed within about two weeks, even though the cause has been dealt with, should be examined.

The most common cause: A spot on the denture that is too long or presses too hard
The real solution: Having the spot that rubs corrected at the clinic
Not to do at home: Sanding or filing the denture down
Not something to wait on: A sore that has not healed in two weeks

Medically reviewed by Bilge Ilgın, Dentist · ImplantologyLast reviewed 2026-09-13

Why a denture rubs, and why a sore opens up

A denture is made of a hard material; the gum underneath is a thin tissue covering the bone. When you chew, the force the denture carries is passed onto this tissue. When the force is spread evenly over a wide area, the tissue can cope with it. When one spot of the denture presses too hard or an edge is too long, however, the force is concentrated on a small area, the tissue there is damaged and an open sore forms. The centre of these sores is often white or yellowish, the edge is red, and they are noticeably painful to touch.

It is normal for a new denture to rub in a few spots in the first few days. However carefully the denture has been made, spots that press too hard show up as the gum and the denture settle against each other. The main purpose of the check-up appointments after fitting is to find and correct these spots. The important point is this: a sore spot does not go away as you get used to the denture. As long as the pressure continues, the tissue does not toughen up, and the sore keeps opening.

A denture that has been worn without trouble for years can also start to rub one day. The most common cause is the bone underneath slowly shrinking: every year the denture sits a little lower, starts to move and its edge digs into the fold between the cheek and the gum. A crack in the base, a tooth that has broken and become sharp, a hard piece of food trapped under the denture or reduced saliva can produce the same picture.

Where the sore is tells you a lot about its cause. A sore in the fold between the cheek and the gum often shows that the edge of the denture is too long. A sore on the inner side of the lower front area, towards the underside of the tongue, comes from the edge of the lower denture or from the denture sliding backwards. A sore in the middle or at the back of the palate points to the denture pressing too hard in that area, while a sore on the side of the tongue or the cheek suggests a sharp tooth edge or biting.

Not every painful red patch is a sore from rubbing. If there is widespread redness over the whole of the palate covered by the denture and no particular painful spot, it is usually a fungal infection that develops under the denture; it is generally linked to sleeping in the denture and not cleaning it well enough. Cracks at the corners of the mouth can also be related to a fungal infection, or to the lower part of the face becoming shorter because the denture teeth have worn down. The solution to these is not an adjustment at one spot but cleaning habits, treatment and, if needed, a new denture.

The great majority of denture sores are harmless and heal quickly once the cause is dealt with. Even so, a sore in the mouth that does not heal can also come from other causes unrelated to the denture. So a sore that has not healed within about two weeks even though the spot that rubs has been corrected should be examined, without waiting for it to reach three weeks. This check is quick, and it is the simplest step towards picking up mouth cancer early.

A sore that heals with an adjustment, and a sore that needs a closer look

This distinction is made at the examination, by looking at where the sore is, what it looks like and how it relates to the denture. The lists below are there to help you recognise your situation; they do not replace an examination.

The tooth can be saved

A sore in the first few weeks with a new dentureAs the denture and the gum settle against each other, spots that press too hard show up. Once the spot is corrected, the sore usually feels noticeably better within a few days.
A sore always in the same place, where the edge of the denture sitsIf you can see that the edge sits right on top of the sore when you put the denture in, that edge is most likely the cause. Once the edge is shortened and polished, the sore heals.
Pain that eases when the denture is out and gets worse when it is inPain that comes and goes with the denture suggests that the cause is pressure. This picture is usually solved with an adjustment at that spot.
A sore next to a sharp edge or a crackA tooth that has broken and become sharp, or a crack in the base, cuts the tongue, the cheek or the gum. Once the sharp spot is smoothed and the denture repaired, the sore heals.

Saving it is unlikely to hold

A sore that has not healed in two weeks despite adjustmentA pressure sore whose cause has been dealt with is expected to heal noticeably within two weeks. If it does not, causes unrelated to the denture should also be investigated and, if necessary, a small tissue sample taken.
A white or red patch, a hard area or a lumpA white or red patch that does not wipe off, an area that feels hard to the touch or a lump that is getting bigger is a different finding from a denture rubbing, and should be seen without waiting.
Redness and burning over the whole palateWidespread redness rather than one particular painful spot suggests a fungal infection under the denture. The solution is not filing the denture down but cleaning, taking it out at night and, if needed, treatment.
Sores that open up in different places, one after anotherIf a sore opens up somewhere else while another is healing, the denture is not staying still; it is moving. Rather than filing individual spots, the fit of the denture should be assessed.

How the spot that rubs is found and corrected at the clinic

The sequence below is usually completed in a single appointment. If the cause of the sore is the overall fit of the denture, relining is added to the adjustment.

1
Wear your denture before your appointment
If the pain allows, put your denture in a few hours before your appointment; when the sore carries the mark of the denture, finding the spot that rubs is much easier. If the pain is too bad, take the denture out and say so at your appointment.
2
The sore and the denture are examined together
The position, size and appearance of the sore, and how long it has been there, are assessed. The denture is put in to check which part of it lines up with the sore.
3
The spot that presses too hard is marked
A special pressure-indicating paste is applied to the inside surface or the edge of the denture, and the denture is put in. The spot that presses too hard shows up as a mark in the paste, so only as much as necessary is taken off the denture.
4
Adjustment and polishing
The marked area is thinned slightly or the edge is shortened, then the surface is polished until it is smooth. A surface left rough can cause fresh irritation.
5
The bite is checked
If the upper and lower teeth do not meet properly, the denture slides when you chew, and that sliding causes sores. Once the contact points are corrected, the sliding stops.
6
Relining or a soft lining, if needed
If the denture has become loose overall, an adjustment at one spot does not last long. In that case the denture is relined; if the gum is very thin and sensitive, a soft lining may be considered.
7
Check-up
The sore is looked at again a few days later. If a sore has not healed within two weeks, further investigation is planned.

Solutions according to the cause of the sore

The options below are chosen not in order but according to the cause. The examination decides which one is needed.

Adjustment at the spot

Enough for a single spot that presses too hard or an edge that is too long. Most sores from a rubbing denture are solved this way.

Adjusting the bite

With a denture that slides because the teeth do not meet properly, sores keep coming back. Once the contact points are corrected, the sliding that causes the sores stops too.

Relining or a soft lining

With a denture that has started to move because the bone has shrunk, the inside surface is refitted. On sensitive gums, a soft lining improves comfort but needs regular replacement.

Repairing or replacing the denture

A denture with a cracked base, or with broken or worn teeth, is repaired or replaced. With an old denture that has been relined several times, replacement may be the better choice.

Treating a fungal infection

With widespread redness, the treatment your dentist recommends should go hand in hand with cleaning the denture every day and taking it out at night; otherwise the problem comes back.

Support from implants

If the denture keeps moving because the bony ridge has flattened and sores open up again and again, securing the denture with implants or moving to fixed teeth on implants can be discussed. With fixed teeth, the force of chewing is passed not onto the gum but through the implants into the bone. A CBCT scan decides suitability.

What happens if you wait

We write these down not to frighten you but so that you know which situations should not be left to wait.

The sore getting bigger

As long as the pressure continues, the sore gets deeper and wider, and healing takes correspondingly longer. A problem that could be solved in a few days drags on for weeks.

The denture ending up in a drawer

Someone who does not want to wear a denture that hurts first cuts down the time they wear it, then stops altogether. Food choices narrow, and speech and social life are affected.

Tissue overgrowth where the edge rubs

In front of an edge that has rubbed the same spot for a long time, the gum can grow into a folded bulge. In the early stages it can shrink back once the edge is corrected and the denture relined; one that has been there for years may need to be removed surgically.

Fungal infection under the denture

Sleeping in the denture and not cleaning it well enough while there is a sore or irritation make it easier for a fungal infection to develop, causing redness and burning on the palate.

Missing a sore that does not heal

Someone who wears a denture tends to put every sore in their mouth down to the denture, and so may leave a sore with a different cause for months. It is important to have a sore that has not healed in two weeks examined, especially if you use tobacco or drink a lot of alcohol.

The harm done by adjustments at home

Taking material off the denture at random with sandpaper or a file spoils how well it holds, roughens the surface and causes new sores. It usually ends with the denture having to be relined or replaced.

What to expect after the adjustment

A pressure sore whose cause has been dealt with usually heals quickly. The course below describes the usual progress; if your sore is behaving differently, go for a check-up.

The same day
Once the pressure is gone, the pain usually eases noticeably. Choose soft, lukewarm food that day; spicy, acidic and very hot food can irritate the sore.
The first few days
After meals, take out your denture and rinse it, and rinse your mouth with warm salt water. Protective gels or mouthwashes available from a pharmacy can bring relief; ask your dentist or pharmacist before using them. Do not wear the denture at night.
The first week
Small pressure sores usually heal within a week to ten days. Even if the pain has gone, go for your check-up; it matters so that a sore does not open up again in the same place.
The end of the second week
If the sore still has not healed, is not getting smaller or has changed in appearance, further investigation is needed. At this stage, causes other than the denture are looked into.

Message us right away if

A sore that has not healed in two weeks. A sore that does not heal even though the spot that rubs has been corrected needs a separate assessment. Do not wait for it to reach three weeks.
A sore that bleeds, hardens or grows. A sore or patch that bleeds on its own, feels hard to the touch or keeps getting bigger should be seen without waiting.
Swelling in your face, or a fever. If a sore in your mouth comes with swelling in your face or under your jaw and a fever, see a dentist the same day.
Pain so bad you cannot wear the denture at all. Do not force the denture in. Bring your appointment forward; a quick adjustment is usually enough.

What determines the scope

A denture that rubs is usually sorted out with a quick adjustment, but the scope changes with the cause. These are the items that determine it:

The cause of the sore: Correcting a single spot that presses too hard, adjusting the bite, relining and replacement are different procedures.
The age and fit of the denture: With a denture that fits well, an adjustment at the spot is enough; with a loose denture relining comes up, and with a very old denture, replacement.
Changes in the tissue: Established tissue overgrowth where the edge rubs, or a sore that does not heal, may need further investigation and procedures.
Support from implants: If sores keep coming back because of bone loss, plans with implant support are assessed separately.

Frequently asked questions

What helps a sore from a rubbing denture?

Until your appointment, wearing the denture as little as possible, rinsing your mouth with warm salt water and choosing soft, lukewarm food bring relief. Protective gels or mouthwashes from a pharmacy can give short-term relief; ask before using them. But these soothe the sore; they do not remove the cause. Unless the spot that rubs is corrected, the sore comes back.

Will a sore from a rubbing denture go away on its own?

As long as the pressure continues, it usually does not. If you leave the denture out for a few days the sore may heal, but when you put it back in, it opens up again in the same place. The tissue does not get used to the pressure and toughen up; the spot that rubs needs correcting.

Can I sand down the spot that rubs at home?

No. The spot that presses too hard is difficult to find by eye; material usually gets taken off the wrong place, or too much is taken off. The result is a denture that holds less well, a roughened surface and new sores. At the clinic, a pressure-indicating paste is used so that only the spot that needs it is corrected.

Should I keep wearing my denture while I have a sore?

Wear it as little as possible and always take it out at night. If you need to wear it while eating or when you are out, take it out afterwards and rinse your mouth. On the day of your appointment, if the pain allows, put the denture in a few hours beforehand so that the spot that rubs can be seen.

My denture is making a sore on my tongue. Why does that happen?

A sore on the tongue usually comes from a sharp or broken tooth edge, from the denture teeth being set in a way that leaves the tongue too little room, or from the tongue rubbing against the edge of the denture. It clears up once the edge is corrected. A sore on the tongue that has not healed in two weeks should also be examined.

My whole palate is red, but no particular spot hurts. Is this rubbing too?

Most likely not. Widespread redness over the whole area covered by the denture suggests a fungal infection under the denture. Taking the denture out at night, cleaning it every day and the treatment your dentist recommends clear this up. Filing the denture down does not help here.

My sore has not gone away for a long time. Could it be cancer?

In people who wear dentures, the great majority of mouth sores are pressure sores, and they heal once the cause is dealt with. Even so, a sore that has not healed in about two weeks, even though the cause has been dealt with, should be examined. The examination is quick, and if necessary a small tissue sample is taken. The aim is not to worry but to be sure.

I have a new denture, and every week it rubs somewhere different. Is that normal?

It is normal to need a few adjustments in the first few weeks. If a month has passed and sores keep opening up in different places, the denture may be sliding when you chew; in that case the bite and the overall fit are checked.

Sources

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