Sore corners of the mouth

If sore corners of the mouth are torn, painful complaints arise. They are particularly tense when eating, brushing teeth, eating or when they come into contact with saliva. The corners of the mouth are red, torn, or scaly. In addition, there is no feeling of tension, for example when speaking, yawning or laughing. These typical symptoms can appear unilaterally or bilaterally.

The lips sometimes tear easily in the dry, heated air or in the cold. Then it can develop from the corner of the mouth. With a little nourishing cream, however, this problem should soon be resolved. However, if the inflamed corners of the mouth still do not heal after a few days, it is advisable to see a doctor.

What are sore corners of the mouth?

The lips sometimes tear easily in the dry, heated air or in the cold. Then it can develop from the corner of the mouth. With a little nourishing cream, however, this problem should soon be resolved.

If the corners of the mouth are painfully inflamed, the doctor knows the technical terms angulus infectiosus (oris), angular cheilitis, lazy licks, angular rhinitis and perlèche for these symptoms.

Angular cheilitis are widespread across all age groups and can occur for a variety of reasons. As a rule, fissures and inflammations in the corner of the mouth do not pose an immediate health threat.

But since they can be an expression of serious illnesses or malnutrition, a doctor should be consulted, especially in the case of prolonged inflammation.

causes

Angular rhinitis can have various causes or be promoted by them. This includes very general reasons such as temperature, humidity or mechanical stress. Very cold and also very warm air can make the lips dry and chapped. Lips also like to dry out in a closed, heated room. High humidity and the much-practiced licking of the corners of the mouth are just as much a part of it as nervous chewing on the lip or generally very dry skin.

Missing nutrients or too much chilli in the food can cause sore lips. This includes a deficiency in vitamin B2, B3, B6, B12, iron or zinc. Contact allergens that can be found in some cosmetic products or lipstick, nickel, the material of your own dentures or excessive use of toothpaste can cause irritation to injure and inflame the sensitive skin of the lips. An imbalance in the hormonal situation, e.g. B. in pregnancy or during menopause, sometimes causes a high sensitivity of the skin and thus also of the lips. Inflammation is the next step.

Ill-fitting dentures can irritate the lips. The symptom of inflamed corners of the mouth sometimes arises after treatment with antibiotics. Diseases that can cause the skin to become inflamed are primarily skin diseases such as neurodermatitis and diabetes mellitus, as well as Down syndrome and Parkinson's disease due to the sometimes uncontrollable flow of saliva.

Ultimately, any irritation, injury, and chapped lips can result in inflammation caused by infection. The body's own bacteria such as staphylococci, streptococci, viruses - and here especially the herpes simplex virus - and fungi, for example thrush or Candida albicans, are responsible for this.

Diseases with this symptom

• Vitamin deficiency
• Iron deficiency
• Down syndrom
• Parkinson's
• thrush

• Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Zinc deficiency
• Neurodermatitis
• Food poisoning
• Mineral deficiency

• Contact allergy (contact dermatitis)
• Menopause
• Diabetes mellitus
• Cold sore
• Menopause

Diagnosis & course

If inflamed corners of the mouth occur repeatedly or for a longer period of time, the doctor or dermatologist is the right medical contact. For the anamnesis of the symptoms, he will ask about other complaints, treatments and previous illnesses.

The diagnosis is first made through an inspection (visual assessment) of the affected areas of the skin and additional examinations to find the cause of the inflamed corners of the mouth. For example, vesicles on the lip indicate an acute herpes infection. Or the inflammation of the oral mucosa could be a fungal attack.

A lip swab is used for later microscopic or laboratory tests for possible pathogens such as bacteria, viruses or fungi. The blood test provides information about the general condition of the patient. The patient may also prove to be diabetic.

Anemia or other deficiency symptoms can also be detected. The doctor may also consider the allergy test if a hypersensitivity reaction is suspected. A dental examination would then be advisable if there is no other indication of the cause.

Complications

If we are talking about an angular irritation of the mouth, then it is inflamed and torn corners of the mouth. There is a risk of bacterial or fungal spread to other areas of the face or the oral cavity.

If bacteria and fungi are treated efficiently with the means of classical medicine or the possibilities of homeopathy, their spread can be prevented. If the bacteria and fungi are successfully treated, infections and mycoses cannot spread to the face. In most cases, scab formation cannot be avoided. An increase in these symptoms is the formation of lumps, which can lead to restricted mouth opening.

Bloody and painful ulcers on the corners of the mouth are also frequently observed as complications and must be treated immediately. The risk of antibiotic or antifungal spread must always be considered.

A severe course with more serious complications is when stomatitis (inflammation of the oral mucosa) occurs due to bacteria, viruses or fungi. However, this can also be caused by allergic or toxic reactions or by physical irritation. In the worst case, the chewing and swallowing function is severely restricted. This can even lead to malnutrition and dehydration. Ulcerations, secondary infections as well as CNS or eye involvement must be summarized as complications. If those affected are undergoing antibiotic or cytostatic therapy, just like patients with a weakened immune system, candidiasis (infectious diseases caused by fungi of the genus Candida) can occur.

When should you go to the doctor?

If the corners of the mouth are inflamed, a visit to the doctor is not absolutely necessary: ​​Unless other symptoms of the disease occur at the same time, nothing can be missed or delayed in a few days in the case of angular mouth arthritis. Treatment with home remedies (cream) is often enough to make the inflammation go away. In principle, however, the occurrence of inflamed corners of the mouth should be used as an opportunity to think about nutrition - fissures at the corners of the mouth are often associated with an inadequate supply of B vitamins and / or iron.

If the symptoms last longer than a week, are very painful or recur every few weeks, a visit to the doctor is advisable: A possible underlying vitamin or mineral deficiency, an allergy, an infection with bacteria can only be carried out through a thorough diagnosis or yeast or a systemic disease can be safely identified and appropriate treatment initiated.

The family doctor or a dermatologist are responsible. If you suspect that poorly fitting and / or poorly cared-for loose dentures are causing the angular rhinitis, your doctor or dermatologist will recommend a visit to the dentist. He will give advice on dental prosthesis hygiene and readjust the prosthesis if necessary.

Doctors & therapists in your area

Treatment & Therapy

The doctor will primarily prescribe an ointment that greases the lips and keeps them supple over the long term. Or he prescribes a paste that is antibiotic, antiviral, or antifungal. However, if a contact allergy is found, the only thing that helps is to avoid this substance as much as possible.

However, in order to achieve long-term therapeutic success, the underlying deficiency symptom or disease should be treated. For example, if you have a specific vitamin or iron deficiency, only high-dose preparations, possibly also injected, and a change in diet will help.

Diabetes mellitus, cirrhosis of the liver or other metabolic diseases or organ diseases must be treated, thoroughly and in the long term. Only then will symptoms such as the inflamed corners of the mouth heal faster or not arise at all.

A suitable lip balm should be used especially in winter. Only then will the skin in the corners of the mouth remain elastic and will not tear as quickly even under stress.

Outlook & forecast

Torn or inflamed corners of the mouth usually heal within a few days, provided the underlying disease has been completely cured and the corners of the mouth are spared. A weakened immune defense or diabetes can delay the healing process. In addition, the inflammatory injuries often develop into a chronic problem with a rather negative prognosis.

If the torn corners of the mouth are due to an allergy or even a viral or fungal infection, the treatment also takes longer. Inflammation as a result of a herpes disease can occur again and again after an infection, but can also be reduced with comprehensive treatment.

In general, the prospect of angular angular disease is good: if the symptoms are treated early and the trigger removed, the cracks heal without long-term consequences. At most, scarring can occur in the case of chronic complaints.

For a meaningful prognosis, the person's constitution and possible previous illnesses must be taken into account. Infants and young children, the elderly, and those with immunodeficiency may take a few days to a week to recover.

The final prognosis should be made by a doctor even with an apparently harmless symptom such as torn corners of the mouth.

prevention

In order to prevent inflamed corners of the mouth from developing in the first place, the lips should above all stay dry. There are pastes that prevent too much moisture from collecting in the corners of the mouth. Contact allergies and mechanical irritation can be avoided with a little discipline. Toothpaste or other skin-irritating cosmetics should be used sparingly.

In the medium term, a nutrient deficiency can be eliminated with a specially tailored diet. Food that is very salty, acidic or spicy should only be consumed with caution. Supplements such as zinc supplements, iron and vitamin C for better iron absorption and a balanced vitamin B complex help.

You can do that yourself

Inflamed corners of the mouth are usually not dangerous, but they are painful and unaesthetic, which is why they limit the quality of life of those affected. Whether and what they can do about it depends on the causes of the inflamed corners of the mouth.

Chronic inflammation is often caused by malnutrition. People who regularly follow weight-loss diets should therefore take dietary supplements. In particular, vitamins B2, B3, B6 and B12 as well as the trace elements iron and zinc must be supplied in sufficient quantities. For people who have a one-sided and unhealthy diet, it is often enough to include more plant-based foods, especially fresh fruit and vegetables, in their menu.

If the indoor climate at the workplace is part of the problem, those affected should pay attention to high humidity and well-ventilated rooms at home. Mechanical irritation from electric toothbrushes or oral irrigators should be avoided until the corners of the mouth have healed.

If the inflamed corners of the mouth do not heal, this is also due to the fact that the patient is constantly touching the fissures, often unconsciously. The skin areas are permanently contaminated. Sufferers should be aware of how often they touch their face and try to condition themselves differently. In addition, when eating, yawning, talking or laughing, the mouth should not be opened to the extent that tension is created at the corners of the mouth, as this will tear the fissures even deeper. A good skin care cream ensures that the irritated areas of the skin do not dry out.