Angular Stomatitis

We use the term Angular Stomatitis when we talk about a wide variety of skin diseases which appear near or around the mouth. Symptoms can consist of a variety of lesions and sores.  We talk about Angular Cheilitis when there are lesions, fissures and inflammation which affect the corners of the mouth. There are many reasons why common pharmaceutical medications are often unsuccessful or do more harm than good. Sufferers will often revert to natural and alternative Angular Cheilitis remedies and cures.

The lesions and cracks can often appear to be very prominent,  showing themselves as a red rash on the corners of the mouth, sometimes those cracks and lesions can be bleeding and quite painful, especially while eating.

Angular Cheilitis, also referred to as Perleche is usually seen as “mildly painful”, but patients’ opinion may vary since the conditions can often be quite painful.

Causes of Angular Cheilitis

There are those who say that one root cause of Cheilitis is a poor diet (lack of certain vitamins), others think that dental problems contribute to the appearance of Cheilitis.

No matter what, we know that the real reason and cause are fungal and/or bacterial infections. The problem is that doctors are often still not certain whether fungus or bacteria  develop first, or whether it is actually the lesions and cracks in the first place which in turn cause those fungal or bacterial infections.

Who is at risk?

It is known that older people wearing dentures have a higher chance of contracting Angular Cheilitis, but children and and people of any age are not exempt.

Teenagers are also quite often affected by it. The problem now is that many patients are going to attempt moistening mouth and lips, and they use common ointments and lip balms, not knowing those make the condition only worse. Since the bacteria grow and survive in a moist environment it is wrong to use moisturizing ointments, treating the painful cracks and lesions but at the same time give the bacteria room to survive by moisturizing the area around the mouth.

We also know that many anti-fungal or steroids/antibiotics can cause various side effects and simply often wont help if we want permanent relief.

It seems that totally eliminating the fungal bacteria which are responsible for angular cheilitis can often not be achieved with modern chemical medicines (hydro cortisone et al.).

It just doesn’t seem to work in many cases. Furthermore, prescription drugs like antibiotics can often lead to other problems and side-effects down the road.

We are in luck because we have a choice of several natural ways to treat Angular Cheilitis today.

Some of those natural ways to cure Angular Cheilitis are using herbal medicines and natural home remedies which are relatively easy to obtain.

Root cause for Angular Cheilitis is bacteria living in a moist environment.

We know that the root cause for the cheilitis is a form of fungal bacteria, the bacteria which survives in a moist environment, such as at the corners of the mouth. In fact, fungal bacteria simply cannot survive without such an environment.

It is obvious that some of the most effective ways to heal and treat Angular Cheilitis is based on drying out the breeding ground for those bacteria. If the moist environment is taken away, the bacteria cannot survive and thus the Angular Cheilitis can be cured.

There are some important aspects to consider when we are using such dry-out methods:

Angular Cheilitis by definition means cracks and lesions around the mouth, those are actually characteristic for the condition. It should be obvious that we do not want the cracks and lesions to become worse than what they are already.

A good and effective Angular Cheilitis treatment must take this into account. There are certain natural methods to dry out the affected areas without having a negative effect on the already affected skin.

(c) 2010 www.angularcheilitisweb.com

Some make the mistake and see the marks or blemishes and think that Angular Cheilitis would need the same treatments as other, similar appearing skin conditions. Some mistakenly treat the cheilitis the same way as they would do with common cold sores. But this would only cause the skin to become more sore and the lesions and blemishes to become deeper and more apparent.

Why should you not use such creams and ointments if you have Angular Cheilitis?

Cold sore treatments usually come in the form of lotions or creams. The problem now is that Cheilitis is caused by fungus or bacteria which needs moisture so survive. The bacteria like and live in the moist environment. Without moisture they cannot survive.

Those common skin  treatments like cold sore ointments now simply add even more moisture to the affected areas, while the right way to treat it would actually to dry out the infected areas.

Without moisture the bacteria cannot survive and the angular cheilitis would usually reside after some time. This is the reason why the better angular cheilitis treatments always use some way to dry out skin and not to moisturize it.

The problem is, that at first glance it would make sense to apply ointments since this is what you would usually use when you have cracks and lesions on your skin. This certainly works for some other causes of skin irritations, but not for Cheilitis.

It is therefore important to understand the reason what causes Cheilitis (fungus or bacteria) and not put this condition into the same category as cold sores, some skin rash or maybe cracks caused by cold weather.

Once you have a proper diagnosis by a doctor you can start with the right treatment.

You should also know that for Cheilitis there are certain preventive ways to avoid it. One main reason for its appearance could be a bad nutrition which is missing certain vitamins, mainly B vitamins and iron.

You see, Angular Cheilitis needs a much deeper approach of treatment and simply applying creams or ointments would not help and actually worsen the condition.

(c) 2010 www.angularcheilitisweb.com

Here is our advice: Don’t do it!

One of the worst things you can do is picking and scratching the scabs and white flakes around your mouth. Not only is the chance of re-infection very high due to the constant touching of the affected area, it would also hinder the healing process quite a bit.

No matter what Angular Cheilitis treatment you are using, it is important that you leave the scabs and flakes alone. Try not to scratch or pick in a panic or because you are embarrassed and want them to go away quickly. If you pick the condition would get worse.

Use the treatment, stay calm..and most importantly, be patient.

Conventional Treatments for Angular Cheilitis

Cheilitis is a painful condition which can cause discomfort on many levels. First, there is the pain causes by the sores and lesions. Needless to say you want to get rid of it as fast possible. The second factor which we simply cannot ignore is of course that this condition can be quite embarrassing which just adds to the problems.

Here is a list of conventional Angular Cheilitis Treatments. As always, make sure to consult your doctor or physician before any such treatment is attempted.

There are several causes for Angular Cheilitis:

The condition can be caused by bacteria (which would make it a bacterial infection), but it can also be caused by yeast (similar to a candida infection).

For this reason it is always  advised to visit a dermatologist which can do a proper diagnosis for the actual cause of the infection. There are further factors which can be responsible for the condition. One of the reasons is bad nutrition with a lack of certain vitamins in the diet. The doctor might then recommend vitamin supplements helping with the healing process. It is always a good idea to eat healthy foods rich in vitamins, and Cheilitis is no exception.

Angular Cheilitis caused by candida fungus

For this kind of infection we can use anti fungal medication and steroids. Mycolog II Cream is common as well as Mycostatin. Those medications act both as an anti fungal and steroid combined where the anti fungal component gets rid of the candida/yeast and the steroid component is calming the swelling and sores around the mouth.

Needless to say that caution is advised since steroids can have side-effects when swallowed by mistake.

Treatment for Angular Cheilitis caused by bacteria

The doctor might prescribe antibiotics, either internally or externally. In case of bacterial infection it might be a good idea to look over your diet since bad nutrition can often weaken the immune system. With a better, healthier diet the immune system can be strengthened and the chances for infections can be reduced.

Further tips:

If you wear dentures, make sure the dentures fit right. If they dont fit right they might be causing pockets in the corners of the mouth which are a breeding grounds for bacteria. It is also crucial to keep the dentures always clean and disinfected. Use available cleaning solutions to get rid of the bacteria and fungus on the dentures. You can also soak the dentures in one part bleach and 10 parts water over night to get rid of bacteria.

Use lip balm if you think you are licking your lips too often. The saliva is bad because the moisture can provide another breeding ground for bacteria.

Angular Stomatitis is another term for Angular Cheilitis.

Is is caused either by the candida albicans fungus or by certain bacteria.

Root cause for Stomatitis is an abundance of moisture in the corners of the mouth,mainly caused by saliva buildups. This moisture is an ideal breeding ground for yeast fungus (candida) or bacteria which might trigger the condition.

Reasons for an abundance of saliva in the corners of the mouth could be drooling during sleep hours where the patient wouldn’t even notice. Another cause is frequent licking of the lips or dentures which don’t fit properly

Dentures

If dentures wont fit properly they cause a misalignment of the mouth and corners of the mouth, creating small pockets or folds where saliva can accumulate easily.

Otherwise, the same precautions and root causes for Angular Stomatitis apply as for Angular Cheilitis: Improper nutrition, namely lack of certain B vitamins in the diet, like a lack of vitamins B2, B3, B6 and B12 is one factor.

For proper treatment it is important that your doctor makes a diagnosis whether bacteria is causing the stomatitis or yeast (candida albicans). The reason is that both  causes of the stomatitis need a different approach and different medication.

If it turns out it is coming from a bacterial infection the doctor might prescribe antibiotics,while for the condition caused by yeast he might prescribe anti fungal medication instead.

(c) 2010 www.angularcheilitisweb.com

What are some root causes of this, and most importantly, how can you treat and prevent it from occurring?

You need to know that proper nutrition and vitamin levels can also play a big role.

It has been shown that a lack of certain B vitamins plays a role in the development of Angular Cheilitis.Vitamins B2, B12 and Iron are often used to treat the condition, so its not a bad idea to get supplements with B2, B12 and Iron. Those vitamins can help and speed up the healing process.

Milk is occasionally mentioned as beneficial also, due to enzymes in milk which are said to be good in fighting bacteria. Vitamin E is another vitamin which helps with the healing, it is easy obtainable, for example in the form of vitamin E capsules. Lip balm which contains vitamin E and which can be directly applied to the affected parts around the mouth can help too.

If you are affected by those painful lesions you might want to avoid spicy foods and drinks because they will only aggravate and irritate more. You should even avoid orange juice, it is very high in acid and would irritate the condition, causing more pain and slowing down the healing process.

Needless to say that a good oral hygiene will help with cheilitis too. This especially applies if you wear dentures. You want to make sure that the dentures itself are not becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. Keep them clean if you can. You can soak them in one part bleach and ten parts water over night to get rid of fungus or bacteria.

(c) 2010 www.angularcheilitisweb.com

However,  it is not necessarily that a vitamin deficiency causes Cheilitis, rather that it can slow down the healing process or make healing  impossible.

When our immune systems works on healing ourselves, this uses up many
bodily resources, and we  need to keep replenishing vitamins to maintain a certain level of strength and vitality.

The following vitamins play a role in this connection between Angular Cheilitis and vitamin deficiency:

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamine)
Iron

May the lack of those vitamins certainly not be the root cause of Angular Cheilitis,but it is reported that those who already have a deficiency in these vitamins before contracting Angular Cheilitis are more prone to suffering from it more seriously, with quicker advancements of the condition.

We have to know about this relationship between Cheilitis and a lack of vitamins, need to look at the data. We need to be aware of our vitamin intake, maintain it either through healthy nutrion supplements or with the help of vitamin supplements.

Those who suffer from this condition should eat foods or drink juices that are rich with these vitamins. This will strengthen the immune system in the fight against this condition, and any further treatments can then do their work in an unhindered environment with the best chance for a quick healing.

It starts with cracked lips and then develops into angular cheilitis. It is a swelling of the corners of your mouth causing pain and discomfort. Although it is by no means life threatening it is painful and can hit the self esteem hard. No one wants to look in the mirror and wonder what is wrong with their mouth.

The mouth is one of the most prominent features on the face. When it is covered in a rash, surrounded by cracks, and dotted with sores it is hard to find beauty in it. Your self esteem can suffer while you have this condition which in turn means angular cheilitis also effects your job and social life. When you don’t feel presentable enough to approach people being social becomes difficult and being at work seems unbearable.

Noticing the signs of cracked lips, swelling, bleeding etc early can be a real benefit because most time angular cheilitis doesn’t go away on its own. If you can begin treatment early then symptoms reduce more quickly and become less noticeable with each passing day. Don’t be afraid to apply lip balm when your lips are chapped you don’t know what exactly you are preventing. Or if you know your diet is deficient in a particular vitamin or mineral make and effort to incorporate that into your meals. You won’t be the only one before too long that can see your deficiency.