Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is angular cheilitis?

A: This is an inflammatory lesion occurring at the corners or sides of mouth. It is marked with red, crusty rashes around your mouth corners. At times, there may be bleeding from these cracks when you open your mouth. In severe cases, pus may form in these cracks. The condition is painful and causes a lot of discomfort.

Q: What are the causes of angular cheilitis?

A: Doctors have not been able to find the exact cause for this condition. However, some sources believe that vitamin and iron deficiency is the cause. This, again, is denied by certain other sources. Ill-fitting dentures are also believed to be the cause. They lead to the collapse of face or mouth. Some sources even put forward the possibility of serious causes like sexually transmitted disease including AIDS.

One thing is certain – this condition is caused by bacteria or fungus. However, research is still on to ascertain whether the cracks occur first and then are inflicted by bacteria or fungi, or whether the cracks itself are caused by fungi or bacteria.

Q: Who are prone to angular cheilitis?

A: First of all, those who lick their chapped lips are certainly paving the way for this condition, if they don’t stop their habit now! Secondly, those who eat unhealthy diet expose themselves to vitamin and iron deficiencies, which are known to cause this condition. People suffering from diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism also fall “prey” to fungus or bacteria attacks. Those with incorrectly fixed dentures must get them fixed properly. They are heavily prone to develop this condition!

Q: How do you come to know its angular cheilitis?

A: When you notice cracks around your mouth, you better pay attention to them. If they hurt, you are on your way to develop this condition. Also, when you open your mouth wide and there is splitting accompanied by bleeding, that’s a sign of cheilosis. Sometimes, you also get bumps.

In a nutshell, dryness or cracking of lips, or anything wrong at the corners of your mouth should be given immediate attention. In the initial stages, the treatment is as simple as applying lip balm on your lips and taking a balanced diet to check deficiencies. You should not let your chapped lips turn into a harboring ground for bacteria and fungus. Ignore these signs and you’ll develop angular cheilitis!

It will be a relief to hear that there are quite a few home remedies for the beginning stages of angular cheilitis that really work. Let us take a look at some of these that you can easily do at home to relieve cheilosis.

Natural Treatments

• Apply olive oil on the lips. Some people believe that Vaseline only makes your lips drier.
• Rub unsalted butter on cracked lips.
• This one can sound a little harsh – but applying some table salt on your lips followed by olive oil is said to give major relief.
• Aloe Vera gel on lips with cheilosis heals them, as does vitamin E oil
• For angular cheilitis that is painful, honey on the lips can help
• Apply cocoa butter on the cracked lips
• Rub lips with cheilitis with a slice of cucumber.

Preferably consult a dermatologist before you go in for angular cheilitis home remedies since you don’t want to discover that one of the ingredients did not agree with you.

Keeping your lips moisturized is the most important thing in angular cheilitis. While going out, it is advisable to use a lip balm that includes sunblock since the sun can be quite harsh on lips with cheilosis. Of course, licking your lips often is better avoided since you will only make them drier.

Another effective angular cheilitis home remedy is drinking plenty of water so that you are properly hydrated. Some people even use a humidifier in the house to keep the air around them moist.

It is well known that cheilosis can also be because of vitamin B 12 deficiencies, so a diet that is rich in vitamins could make a big difference in the long run. For those who wear dentures that don’t fit properly, the outcome could be painful angular cheilitis. In such cases it is better to talk to the dentist and get the dentures readjusted so that you can eliminate the cause.

It is not healthy to nurture angular cheilitis. Home remedies really work and are readily available and worth a try since they are safe and natural. Moreover, they don’t cost much and regular care can prevent cheilitis.

Cheilosis can make it difficult to open your mouth. Opening even a small amount can cause pain or bleeding. This makes it difficult to talk and eat. Acidic foods can be especially irritating to the area. If it is difficult to speak then a person tends to isolate themselves from others. It is a condition difficult to hide because the mouth is such a prominent feature in our communication with others.

Those suffering with symptoms know the embarrassment of someone commenting that they have some food or something else on the corners of their mouth. Young children with cheilitis tend to pick at the area or constantly lick it which only aggravates the condition. Finding the right treatment depends on finding the root cause.

Angular Cheilitis can occur in older people with improper fitting dentures which allow saliva to leak from the corners of the mouth. Those who lick their lips frequently will allow saliva to gather at the corners of the mouth making a perfect environment for a yeast infection to develop. Very young children who use a pacifier may develop Cheilosis because of the constant presence of saliva around the mouth. It can also develop because of deficiencies in the B vitamins or iron deficiency. Obtaining a proper diagnosis is important to curing the problem.

Those who suffer with the symptoms of Angular Cheilitis may feel self conscious if people stare at them. Those with jobs that require them to talk to other people face-to-face, may find it difficult to not feel self conscious about the problem. Teenagers may deal with cruel remarks and comments from their peers.

It is not a serious or life threatening disease, but it does impact the social well being of a person. It often is mistaken for cold sores and others think it might be contagious but it is not.

Understanding the condition and finding the underlying cause in order to obtain proper treatment will help those affected by Angular Cheilitis to remove the negative impacts of this condition from their lives. They will return to feeling less self-conscious about their appearance and speaking and eating will not be so difficult.

There are certain characteristics that make people more susceptible to the disease. People who where dentures are more likely to develop the disease especially if the dentures don’t fit correctly. If your dentures don’t support the muscle in your face then moisture can get caught in the corners of your mouth and cause a bacterial infection. People who frequently lick or bite their lips are also more likely to develop the disease. Some other health issues can make you more likely to develop the disease. Diabetes, immune system deficiencies, certain vitamin deficiencies and anemia can make you more susceptible.

The symptoms of Angular Cheilitis include cracks and fissures in the corners of the mouth. Someone who has the disease will also experience swelling and pain in the area. The cracks can turn into open sores which can become infected and ooze pus. The cracks can also become so deep that they begin to bleed. Having these sores causes pain when talking, eating or smiling. With the constant healing and re-injury of the sores the corners of the mouth can also itch. All in all it is an unpleasant situation.

This disease can be caused by several different things. It can result from a fungal infection caused by the same fungus responsible for causing yeast infections. It can also be caused by a bacterial infection from the bacteria responsible for staph infections. Ill fitting dentures and frequent licking of the corners of the mouth also can cause the disease. Anemia, diabetes, other vitamin deficiencies and immune system problems can make adults more likely to get the disease. Young children and infants run a higher risk of the disease from thumb sucking, bottle feeding and sucking on pacifiers.

There are different treatments for the disease depending on the cause of it. The bacterial infection can be treated through antibiotics. The disease can also be treated by various medications and ointments. The fungal infection can be treated by anti-fungal ointment. Once treatment begins the condition usually clears up quickly. If you have Cheilitis you don’t have to just live with it. There is treatment available to help get rid of the pain and irritation.