Roof of Your Mouth Always Itchy? Here’s What Your Body’s Trying to Tell You

An intense, insistent itch is never ideal in any body part. But it's even worse when it happens in a peculiar place — like the roof of your mouth — where it's rough to find relief.

Indeed, an itch located in your palate poses a unique problem: You can't quite reach it to scratch, and even if you could, rubbing the delicate tissue there would probably just further inflame the area.

So what can you do to ease the itch?

We spoke to Cecelia Damask, DO, a board-certified otolaryngologist, to get to the root of your scratchy roof issue (including the most common reasons for a prickly palate). Plus, we review ways to relieve the itch without causing more irritation.

The itch irritating the roof of your mouth may be related to allergic rhinitis. Commonly known as hay fever, allergic rhinitis is an inflammatory condition that occurs when someone with an allergy is exposed to an allergen that activates an immune response, Dr. Damask says.

"While allergic rhinitis is [classically] characterized by an itchy, sneezy, blocked-up nose, frequently, there can also be associated itching of the palate as well as the throat, ears and eyes," she says.

Though this allergic disorder is prevalent in the U.S. population (with an estimated 15 percent of Americans experiencing symptoms), allergic triggers will vary from person to person, Dr. Damask says.

For example, some may be allergic to grass or tree pollen and only have symptoms during the spring while others may be irritated by mold that appears in the fall when piles of wet leaves build up.

"Still, others may have year-round symptoms due to triggers like animal dander and dust mites," Dr. Damask adds.

Sometimes a run-of-the-mill cold is the culprit for the uncomfortable itch you're feeling in your palate.

Still, it can be difficult to differentiate common cold symptoms — like a runny or stuffy nose and scratchy throat — from other conditions like allergic rhinitis, COVID-19 or other viruses.

"If an itchy palate is accompanied by a fever and body aches, it is most likely ‌not‌ allergic rhinitis and more likely to be due to a viral infection" of the upper respiratory tract, Dr. Damask says.

"Viruses can attack the lining of the palate and release inflammatory mediators that stimulate nerve endings, resulting in itching," she says.

On top of a prickly palate, fever and body aches, other surefire signs of a cold include, according to the Mayo Clinic:

• Sore throat
• Cough
• Congestion
• A mild headache
• Sneezing
• Generally feeling unwell

The origin of your itchy palate may be oral allergy syndrome (OAS). Also known as pollen food allergy syndrome (PFAS), this condition is "caused by cross-reacting allergens found in both pollen and raw fruits, vegetables or some tree nuts," Dr. Damask says.

People with PFAS typically have an allergy to birch, ragweed or grass pollens. When they eat a raw fruit or veggie, their immune system recognizes the pollen and similar proteins in these foods, which spurs an allergic reaction, Dr. Damask says.

Some examples of these cross-reacting allergens include:

• Birch pollen: apple, almond, carrot, celery, cherry, hazelnut, kiwi, peach, pear, plum
• Grass pollen: celery, melons, oranges, peaches, tomato
• Ragweed pollen: banana, cucumber, melons, sunflower seeds, zucchini

Unsurprisingly, you're more likely to have these allergic food-related flares during the spring and fall, when the pollen seasons are at their prime.

Symptoms usually surface soon after eating the offending food and are confined to the oral cavity. In addition to a scratchy palate, you may also experience swelling of the lips, mouth and throat with occasional hives in the mouth, Dr. Damask says.

"Rarely is anaphylaxis reported" in cases of oral allergy syndrome, she adds.

While cross-reactions to pollen-related foods can be the reason for an itchy roof of your mouth, your symptoms may also be directly due to a straightforward food allergy, Dr. Damask says. This means that the food itself — not the pollen — is the problematic trigger.

But whether it's pollen or a specific food, the same type of inflamed immune response results from exposure to the allergen.

Though any food can set off an adverse reaction, the following types are responsible for a majority of food allergies, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI):

• Eggs
• Milk and dairy
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Wheat
• Soy
• Sesame

Along with an itchy palate, additional signs of a food allergy may include, per the U.S. Drug and Food Administration (FDA):

• Hives
• Flushed skin or rash
• Tingling sensation in the mouth
• Face, tongue or lip swelling
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea
• Abdominal cramps
• Coughing or wheezing
• Dizziness and/or lightheadedness
• Swelling of the throat and vocal cords
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of consciousness

While anaphylaxis is less common in oral allergy syndrome, it can occur in people with food allergies. In fact, an anaphylactic reaction to a food often starts with an itchy mouth or palate, Dr. Damask says.

Cold sores, which appear as small red blisters on the face, mouth and lips, may be linked to your itchy palate.

Also known as fever blisters, cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1), Dr. Damask says. Cold sores are contagious and transmitted by close contact with affected skin or saliva. In other words, the virus spreads through sharing personal items (like lip balm or razors), food or via physical contact like kissing, she says.

These fluid-filled or crusty sores typically cause a tingling sensation, but they can create itchiness too, Dr. Damask says.

"Oral candidiasis (aka oral thrush) occurs when there is an overgrowth of candida albicans in your mouth," Dr. Damask says.

Most often, candida fungus resides in your mouth without causing any complications, according to the Mayo Clinic. But sometimes a microbe imbalance can allow candida to accumulate.

Symptoms typically involve characteristically creamy white lesions that have a cottage cheese-like appearance along with a burning sensation or soreness in the tongue and inside of the cheeks, Dr. Damask says. "Sometimes [this soreness] can be so severe that it can affect eating and swallowing," she adds.

While these are usual indicators of a fungal infection, itching on the roof of the mouth may also be present, Dr. Damask says.

Other oral thrush symptoms may surface as well, such as the following, per the Mayo Clinic:

• Slight bleeding if the lesions are rubbed or scraped
• Cracking and redness at the corners of your mouth
• A cottony feeling in your mouth
• Loss of taste
• Redness, irritation and pain under dentures

"Oral candidiasis is more likely to occur in babies and older adults, individuals with weakened immune systems or certain health conditions and people who take certain medications like antibiotics or steroids," Dr. Damask says.

Similar to other allergies, your immune system may perceive a substance in a medication as a foreign invader and secrete certain chemicals to attack it, according to the ACAAI.

And an itchy palate may be a hint that this type of immune response is taking place, Dr. Damask says.

In addition to itching (which can occur in any body part), other symptoms of drug allergies to keep an eye out for include, per the ACAAI:

• Skin rash or hives
• Wheezing or other breathing problems
• Swelling
• Anaphylaxis

If the itch in your palate persists for more than several days, or you experience accompanying symptoms, talk to your primary care doctor promptly. They can likely properly assess, diagnose and treat you appropriately — or refer you to a specialist better equipped to do so, according to the University of Utah.