What Is Angular cheilitis?

Angular cheilitis is an inflammatory skin disorder that affects the corners of the lips. This illness is characterized by the presence of red, cranked sores with the sensation of pain. It can affect one or both corners of the lips [1].

Angular cheilitis also has other names like angular stomatitis, commissural cheilitis, perleche, or cheilosis. Cheilitis is defined as the inflammation of the lips. The most common causes of this condition are allergy, infection, or any irritation.

It is thought that angular cheilitis is also linked to candidiasis (A type of fungal infection). Besides, it is also associated with bacterial infections (Staphylococcus aureus). The name angular is given as this skin infection is found around the corners of the lips of the mouth [2]. It is a common disorder that affects almost 1% population of the earth.

 

What Are the Causes of Angular cheilitis?

Any single factor does not cause angular cheilitis, but there are multiple reasons behind this problem. The infection starts when too much saliva starts gathering around the corners of the lips [3].

Other causes of angular cheilitis include:

• Bacterial or fungal infection
• Allergy
• Deficiency of nutrients including iron, vitamin B-12, and folate
• Atopic dermatitis
• Eczema
• Regular wearing of a tight face mask
• Misaligned teeth or the dentures that do not fit properly in your mouth

Away from these causes, angular cheilitis is also linked with some medical conditions.

 

What are the Symptoms of Angular cheilitis?

Usually, symptoms of the infection may differ depending upon the person. But some common symptoms of angular cheilitis are given below [4]:

 

• Bleeding
• Formation of inflammatory lesions
• Erythema
• Irritation
• The skin around the lips becomes painful
• Severe irritation may cause difficulty in eating, thus leading to weight loss
• Itchiness
• Swollen skin plus large patches will appear
• Presence of blisters at the corners of the lips
• Cracks formation
• Burning sensation when skin gets dried

 

How Is Angular cheilitis Diagnosed?

Several factors can cause angular cheilitis. Therefore, it is better to visit your primary health care provider to treat the infections properly.

The doctor will diagnose based on the physical examination of the infection site and may recommend any laboratory tests.    

 

How Is Angular cheilitis Treated?

Treatment of angular cheilitis focuses on taking care of the underlying cause of the infection. The ultimate goal of the treatment is to keep the area clean and dry to decrease the chances of infection. Depending upon the cause of the condition, the angular cheilitis treatment can involve antibiotics or antifungals [5].

• The topical antifungal therapy:

Antifungal therapy is recommended for the infections that are caused by the fungus.

• The antibiotics therapy:

Antibacterial therapy is recommended for the bacterial cause of the angular cheilitis.

• Fixing your dental problems:

Sometimes, angular cheilitis can also be caused due to misplaced dentures. Similarly, misaligned teeth, braces, and retainers are also linked with this condition.

• Taking care of your diet:

Have a look at your diet and maintain the levels of minerals in it. Take special care of minerals like folate, Vit. B-12 or proteins as the deficiency of these compounds directly cause angular cheilitis.

• Hygiene:

Keep the area dry and clean. Practicing good hygiene can help you ease your pain. It will also help you in the prevention of infection.

 

 

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK536929/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1949217/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31464357/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470592/
5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31464357/

 

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