A lot of people suffer from angular cheilitis and do not even know it. They suffer from the sore mouth and chapped lips in silence as they do not know that there is a cure for their problem. Let us answer two questions; “What is angular cheilitis?” and “What angular cheilitis remedies do I use to cure it?” Angular cheilitis is a common problem and many suffers do not even know that they have it or that. Instead they suffer the painful sores around their mouths in silence. There is a cure! This article will tell you how to recognise the symptoms and what angular cheilitis remedies to use.
Angular cheilitis is basically sores in the corners of the mouth which are caused by bacteria and fungus which grow and prosper due to the collection of saliva in the corner of the mouth. The sore can dry and crack every time the mouth is opened and can turn into abscesses. The risk of contracting angular cheilitis is increased by having had head or neck irradiation and by diabetes mellitus. It can also be aggravated by a vitamin B deficiency. Having dentures can also increase the risk of contracting angular cheilitis. Dentures provide warm damp nooks and crannies for fungus and bacteria to develop and a set of ill-fitting dentures may also cause saliva to gather in the corners of the mouth both of which can stimulate the development of angular cheilitis. The symptoms of angular cheilitis are most commonly sores which start in the corner of the mount, They are caused by bacteria and fungi which grow and prosper in the saliva in the corners of the mouth. These sores dry and crack when the mouth is opened. repeated breaches may cause the sores to develop into abscesses. Having undergone head or neck radiation or being a sufferer of diabetes mellitus increases your chances of developing angular cheilitis. Other causes include vitamin B deficiency and ill fitting dentures which cause saliva to accumulate at the corner of the mouth which gives the fungus a place to live and prosper. Dentures also tend to have gaps and crevices in which the fungi or bacteria can hide until they are plentiful enough to cause a problem.
Now that you know what angular cheilitis is, how do you cure it?
Whilst most doctors will prescribe a topical anti-fungal cream or antibiotic, these often fail to completely clear the cause of the angular cheilitis. They will decrease the symptoms but will not prevent it from reoccurring. Many western doctors and dermatologists prescribe anti-fungal creams and topical steroids to combat angular cheilitis. Unfortunately, these treatments do not always stop the problem but only the symptoms. You need something else to properly stop it from reoccurring.
The more effective cheilitis treatments are the ones that actually prevent the infection from reoccurring. The cheilitis treatments that will be most effective will depend on why you are getting angular cheilitis. A very effective method is to eat correctly. Increasing the level of vitamin B12 and iron in your food will bolster your immune system against the bacteria. If it is your dentures that are causing an accumulation of saliva in the corners of the mouth, then it would be a god idea to get a new set of dentures that fit properly. Cheilitis treatments that are more effective actually prevent the infection from occurring in the first place. Which cheilitis treatments will be most effective for you will depend on why you have the problem in the first place. Following a diet that is rich in vitamin B12 and iron is an effective treatment as these nutrients will bolster the parts of your immune system that are unable to fight off the fungus and bacteria that cause angular cheilitis. However, if it is your dentures that are causing a problem, it would be beneficial to have them fitted correctly or even replaced for a set which do fit correctly.
Whilst this is not an immediate fix, it will definitely make the problem vanish in the long run. In the meantime, you can use one of these methods to help decrease the pain and irritation around your mouth.~None of these will provide an immediate cure. They will however cause the problem to stop reoccurring. Whilst you wait for your chosen treatment to take effect, you can use some of the following techniques to relieve the irritation caused by the sores.
Keep your lips moisturised by using an unflavoured lip salve, using saliva will aggravate the problem as your saliva is acidic. Moisturise your lips regularly using an unscented or flavoured lip balm. Do not lick your lips, saliva is acidic and will aggravate the problem.
Avoid acidic foods and drinks like citrus fruits and citrus based drinks. Spices and other harsh foods may also aggravate the problem. Try to avoid eating and drinking acidic foods and drinks. This includes citrus fruit and fruit juices as well as spicy food.
Rubbing olive oil or vitamin E oil on your lips will sooth the irritation ad help to keep you lips moisturised. Putting olive oil or vitamin E oil on your lips on a regular basis will help to keep them moist and ease the irritation.
Cheilitis treatments do not work in just a few minutes, changing your diet will take a few days to get consistent and you need to keep it up for the rest of your life. While you are waiting for your diet to take effect and your immune system to come to the party, keep the irritation at bay with moisturiser and no acidic foods or drinks. It is possible to cure angular cheilitis; you just need to find the right balance of nutrients in your diet. No cheilitis treatments will work in just a few minutes and most will take a few days to have an effect. So choose your treatment and stick with it. Some treatments will have to become a lifestyle, especially those that rely on a special diet and bolstering of the immune system. Whilst you wait for results, do not forget that you can ease your suffering by soothing the irritation. Angular cheilitis can be beaten and it does not have to cost an arm and a leg getting medication from a dermatologist or western doctor.
