Are the corners of your mouth cracked

Angular cheilitis

Are the corners of your mouth cracked? That can be Angular Cheilitis

Hi friends, Are the corners of your mouth cracked? It is a very annoying thing. Both sides or one side of the mouth is cracked. It is a very painful condition that is sometimes bleeding too. Sometimes it is in the form of blisters. This problem looks small but it is very painful and annoying. It looks ugly too. This problem is commonly used as angular cheilitis. The red cramped skin around the lips and corners of the mouth is hard discolored skin. Now let us have a look on what is the reasons behind the cracked and chapped skin on both sides of the mouth.

Symptoms of angular cheilitis-First of all, let us have a look on what are the most common symptoms behind the problem called angular cheilitis. The most common ones are as follows-

a)Corner of lips are cracked.

b)Corners remain dry.

c) It’s either on one side of the mouth or both sides of the mouth.

d)Blisters that are bleeding

e)Redness and itchiness.

f)Lasts up to 2 weeks

Reasons behind angular cheilitis

There are many factors behind the cracked corners of the mouth. Here I am going to share a list of factors that are behind this common problem. The most common factors are

Bacterial or fungal infection-

The most common reason behind angular cheilitis is a bacterial infection which can be caused due to yeast infection. The saliva gathered on the corners of the mouth leads to bacteria development which is the main reason behind this problem. The fungal infection can last from 1 week to 3 weeks depending upon its growth. The blisters get sufficient growth factors which makes the problem grave.

Nutritional deficiency-

Another main reason behind angular cheilitis is the lack of nutrients mainly iron, folic acid, and other nutrients such as Vitamin B family nutrients. Anemia can be a major reason behind this problem. The lack of these key nutrients leads to angular cheilitis which can prove harmful in certain cases.

Digestive issues-

Sometimes the reason behind angular cheilitis is digestive tract issues. Our system is not able to digest or absorb the micronutrients which are good for the development of the body. Lack of micronutrients leads to make this problem more severe. Constipation also leads to angular cheilitis.

Liver damage-

Sometimes due to weak liver or due to the malfunction of the liver this problem can persist. Liver-related issues if ignored can make the problem worse in the long run.

Eczema-

Sometimes some skin diseases like eczema can lead to blisters either on lips or any part of the mouth and body. This becomes a more internal problem that leads to blisters, redness, patches, itchiness, and other related symptoms on either side of the mouth or both sides of the mouth.

Treatment-Now let us have a look at how we can prevent or cure the angular cheilitis. The most common ones which we can use are as follows-

Don’t lick your lips-

The very first treatment that you can start with is do not lick your lips. The saliva gathered around the corners of the mouth, as I described earlier may make the problem worse. Better not to lick your lips.

Nutritional diet-

Take a diet full of all nutrients including iron, folic acid, vitamins, and all such other nutrients. Include fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet. Yogurt which contains probiotics must be consumed daily. Include mushrooms, spinach, tomato, whole grains, and almonds in your diet. Make sure that your stomach is clean and no digestive tract problem.

Medication-

Consult a good doctor and take proper medication and multivitamins. The problem can be sorted either through homeopathy or allopathy. Make sure to have a proper diagnose. If the problem is liver-related, make sure to follow a strict diet and routine for a healthy liver.

Anti fungal cream and lotions-

There are lots of creams and lotions available in the market for angular cheilitis and other related problems. One of such lotions as Lotrimin. Make sure to follow a strict regimen. Anti-fungal creams and lotions prevent the development of the bacteria and help to soothe and relieve angular cheilitis.

Maintain oral hygiene-

It is good to follow proper oral hygiene. Make sure that you brush your teeth twice. Do gargles with warm water. Use a good quality mouthwash. It is proven that Listerine can help within a week to sort out any such problem. After eating anything especially sweets wash your mouth.

Drink plenty of water-

Stay hydrated. Drink at least 10-12 glasses of water in a day. Prefer cool beverages. Eat cucumber. The sum and substance are you need to keep yourself hydrated. It will solve not only angular cheilitis but also other health-related problems.

Home remedies that are helpful-

There are a lot of home remedies that you can follow at the initial stage of angular cheilitis. You can also make it a daily routine part if it soothes your skin like the use of scrubs which remove the dead cells around the lips. Use lip balms. Honey has anti-bacterial property which can soothe the pain and prevents bacteria formation. Use aloe vera gel for 15 minutes on the lip area and then rinse it off. It has antiseptic and cooling properties. In normal cases, you can also put vaseline as a lip balm. Castor oil is also a good moisturizer for the lip skin area. You can also use coconut oil. Here I am sharing my homemade lip balm which keeps the lips moisturized pink and soft and has antibacterial properties too.

Take 2 tbsp of coconut oil. Make it lukewarm. Then take a fresh beetroot, grate it and take out the juice. Mix both the ingredients in a small jar. Here it goes…It gives you soft pink lips and prevents fungal infections and any sort of bacteria formation as coconut oil has antifungal properties and beetroot contains good juices to make it more useful.