Angular Cheilosis

Angular Cheilosis or Cheilitis, Stomatitis, or Perleche affects millions of people each year. Research shows that this condition may be due to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. An effective treatment depends on what the cause or causes are. There are many ways of treating this condition based on the cause of the infection.

Candida Infection - If a yeast infection is the direct cause, a physician may prescribe treatment with topical anti fungal creams or gels and steroids like Mycolog II or Mycostatin®. Both medicines contain Nystatin and Trianicolone acetonide. The anti fungal acts to eradicate the fungal bacteria while the steroid helps reduce symptoms of swelling, itching, and pain. Whenever steroid medications are involved, users should take care to watch out for its side effects. The other disadvantage of treating Angular Cheilosis in this manner is to be careful not to ingest the cream or gel as this might prove to be dangerous.

Dentures - Dentures are sources for the breeding place for bacteria and other harmful pathogens. People who use dentures should observe proper oral hygiene: Dentures should be soaked overnight in a sterile solution to ensure all residues from food and beverages are completely cleaned out. Ill-fitting dentures should be corrected by a dentist, as this causes the person to have a misaligned bite and contributes to pooling of saliva at the corners of the mouth where constant rubbing may cause bleeding due to constant friction. When the folds of the skin are cracked open, bacterial saliva may propagate and infect the wound, directly leading to Angular Cheilosis.

Chapped Lips - This commonly happens to children and teenagers who have the habit of constantly licking their lips. When saliva dries on the lips, it causes the skin to become dry and flaky. When this happens, the constant lip movement will cause the lips to stretch and crack. Children who experience high fevers may also get cracked lips as the body becomes dehydrated, and again causing the skin to dry up and become susceptible to cracking and splitting. The best way to address this problem is by applying medicated lip balms specially made for overly dry lips. Cracked or dry lips should not be applied with flavored lip glosses or lipsticks.

HIV or Weak Immune System - People persistently suffering from Angular Cheilosis have the possibility of having a compromised immune system, due to being deficient in iron, zinc, folic, and B vitamins, or might have an HIV infection. The only thing to do is to build up the body's immune system by supplementing with the right vitamins and minerals. It is also advisable to maintain a healthy diet by eating vitamin and mineral rich foods such as dairy, cheeses, vegetables, lean red meat, fish, poultry, and fruits.