A variety of pathological conditions of diverse etiologies may involve the lips. Cheilitis glandularis (CGL) is a rare disorder of unknown etiology characterized by inflammation of the minor salivary glands of the lower lip. The aim of this paper is to compare the diagnosis and treatment of two cases of CGL at an early age (one in a child and the other in a young adult with mental retardation) with the diagnosis and treatment of actinic cheilitis, which is much more prevalent than CGL in tropical countries.