Persistent burning and derythema were present for 10 months cin he lower lip of a 55-year-old woman, who had extreme melalignment of the anterior maxillary teeth. Candida albicans was identified not only from the surface material of the lower lip but also from tl.e malaigned dental cleft, which was thought to be the source of the organisms. We feel that the impor.ance of malaligned theeth as a source of candida albicans miist be kept in mind when we face persis ent cheilitis in a patient whose teeth arrangement is bad. (Kar J Dermatol 1993; 31(3): 392-396)