Angular Cheilitis - What is it?
Are you having persistent problem with the skin at the corners of your mouth? Those blister or cracks in the corner of the mouth are known as "angular cheilitis" and it is caused by severe dryness or chapped lips. The skin easily becomes irritated with small cracks. Though it gets recovered but then for no apparent reason, the cracks surface again. The skin cracking at the corners of your mouth is coupled with redness and scaling. It is not a life threatening condition but is certainly an irritation to those suffering with it. These painful cracks in the corner of the mouth can harbor fungus which makes them so hard to get rid of. So if you are experiencing dryness, cracking lips or rashes in the corners of your mouth, it is a symptom of cheilitis and special notice should be given to it immediately. A point to note is that angular cheilitis can happen to anyone at any age or gender.
Causes of Angular Cheilitis?
There is a variety of factors that trigger the cracks in the corner of the mouth and the occurrence of angular cheilitis.
1. Poor ill-fitting dentures
2. Vitamin or iron deficiencies (deficiency in vitamin B-2, vitamin B-3, vitamin B-6, or vitamin B-12)
3. Allergic reaction to products used on lips, dental care or oral hygiene products
4. Yeast infections
Who are prone to Angular Cheilitis?
1. Do you have the habit of licking your chapped lips?
2. Are you having unhealthy diet that lead to deficiencies of vitamin and iron?
3. Are you suffering from illness such as diabetes and hypothyroidism?
4. Are you having any ill-fitting dentures ?
Other less common angular cheilitis causes are: allergies to toothpastes, lipsticks and other cosmetics.
How to cure cracks in the corner of the mouth?
If the cracks in the corner of the mouth have persisted for more than a week, it is likely that the condition has taken hold and become fungal in nature and is not likely to simply recover without help. The fungal bacteria that causes lip corner cracks craves moisturized environments. You need a remedy that is able to dry out the moisturized areas of the infection.
