Chronic Conditions 3 MIN READ 1219 VIEWS October 17, 2023

Do You Know What’s Angular Cheilitis?

Inflammatory angular cheilitis affects many people. This common skin condition produces sores that are inflamed and cracked at the corners of your mouth. Angular cheilitis is unpleasant but typically not dangerous.

Angular cheilitis is also known as angular stomatitis or perleche. Angular cheilitis is often misdiagnosed as a cold sore. However, cold sores are a different condition brought on by the herpes simplex virus. Unlike cold sores, angular cheilitis does not spread easily.

Causes of Angular Cheilitis 

The corners of the mouth become wet because saliva pools there. Angular cheilitis is a condition caused by extremely dry skin in this region. The skin may eventually split due to the dryness. Inflammation and infection may result from the entry of bacteria or fungus via these crevices. Angular cheilitis causes includes a number of different factors like: 

  • Eczema and dermatitis in people with atopy
  • Poorly fitting dentures
  • Sleep-related drooling
  • Thrush and other oral fungal diseases
  • Poor dental alignment
  • Intolerant skin
  • Thumb or pacifier sucking

Angular Cheilitis Symptoms 

Angular cheilitis manifests as nearly exclusively around the mouth’s corners. The angular cheilitis symptoms range from minor redness to open, bleeding blisters and may be very painful. If you’re suffering with angular cheilitis, here are the common symptoms you’ll witness:

  • Bruising, redness, swelling, cracking, blistering, crusting, and itching discomfort at the mouth’s corners
  • Contamination of the mouth with yeast (thrush)
  • A facial rash similar to eczema
  • Inflammation of the palate (common in those who use dentures).
  • Deep fissures (from saliva) at the mouth’s corners.

What Potential Dangers May Arise?

Although angular cheilitis may affect anybody at any time, there are several risk factors you should be aware of.

  • Inadequate denture fit
  • Losing a lot of weight 
  • Having teeth that aren’t straight 
  • Having dietary deficits, particularly in the B vitamin group,
  • Having a dry mouth 
  • Weaker immune system 
  • Having a long-term health problem like diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) 

Detecting Angular Cheilitis + Therapy

In most cases, a dermatologist or medical specialist will be the one to identify angular cheilitis. The doctor will look in your mouth and across the rest of your body for signs of skin irritation. They will inquire as to your current medicines, health habits, and family medical history.

Angular cheilitis treatment will depend on what brought it on in the first place. If your doctor believes that your angular cheilitis is due to a nutritional deficit, they will likely prescribe that you make certain changes to your diet or take nutritional supplements.

If your doctor suspects that a yeast infection is to blame for your angular cheilitis, they may recommend an antifungal drug to be applied topically to the infected region of your mouth.

Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic ointment or lotion if they determine that a bacterial infection is to blame.

Other potential methods of therapy include:

  • Filler injections to lessen the appearance of wrinkles around the mouth’s perimeter
  • Topical steroid ointment to treat sores in the mouth
  • Use sugarless gum
  • Chomp on some hard candy or a lozenge
  • Humidify your house and sip water often throughout the day to prevent dry skin.

How to Prevent It?

Angular cheilitis may be avoided with careful skin maintenance and clean eating habits. Maintaining supple, irritation-free skin around the mouth may prevent the growth of germs and yeast.

Applying petroleum jelly or coconut oil to the inside of your mouth’s corners will help prevent saliva from getting in and is best for angular cheilitis treatment. Additionally, consistent use of lip balm might aid in the avoidance of dry, chapped lips. Ask your doctor about dental appliances or fillers if you think the creases in your mouth are to blame for your angular cheilitis. 

Conclusion

Angular cheilitis is an inflammation of the corners of the mouth. Although angular cheilitis often doesn’t need sophisticated treatment, you should consult a doctor if your symptoms don’t improve or return within 2 weeks. Angular cheilitis treatment is usually successful if a doctor has determined what is triggering it.

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