Angular Cheilitis self care: The cure for cracked corners of the mouth

Angular cheilitis is a common medical condition that causes swelling near the corners of the mouth and leads to redness and inflammation. They are characterized by cracked or painful sores at the corners of the mouth. This can cause discomfort and challenges in eating or smiling. Many different factors can cause a case of cheilitis, including excessive moisture on the corners of the mouth, fungal infection, various autoimmune disorders, and dehydration.


Angular cheilitis can be caused by a number of issues like if the saliva gets collected near the corners of the mouth which can cause dryness. Apart from that too much dryness on the skin or is any bacteria or fungi gets into the cracks can also cause angular cheilitis leading to inflammation and infection.




There a number of symptoms that could indicate the presence of angular cheilitis which include,

Redness or swelling near lip corners can be one of the symptoms for angular cheilitis.

If there is soreness or pain while opening or eating food.

Cracking or splitting near the corners of the mouth.

Angular cheilitis can cause white patches or fungal growth caused by a yeast infection.

Another symptom of the disease could be too much dryness or tightness around the lips and mouth corners.


Aloe vera: This can help in treating the condition as it has anti-healing properties that help in soothing and keeps the affected area cool for quicker healing.

Keep the mouth clean: It is important to keep the mouth and lips clean in order to prevent the infection from even happening in the first place.

Avoid Lip balm: Do not use lip balm as that can worsen the condition and cause irritation and inflammation near the affected area.

Use Petroleum jelly: Applying petroleum jelly will prevent moisture from evaporating and promote quicker healing process.

Coconut oil: This has anti-fungal properties that would keep the skin moisturized and reduce the risk of infection as well.

Avoid licking the corners of lips: This will prevent the lips from getting dry and would reduce the risk of further infection. As the saliva can take up the moisture from the lips.

Use cucumber: Placing cucumber on both sides of the lips will help in reducing pain and inflammation and would keep the lip corners cool.

Consult a doctor if it lasts more than a month: It is advised to be in touch with a specialist if the infection persists for a long time and take the right medication from them as needed is it does not heal from home remedies.

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Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

1. Can pregnancy cause angular cheilitis?
   Angular cheilitis can occur during pregnancy due to hormonal changes.
2. Can low iron cause angular cheilitis?
   Iron deficiency, can contribute to the development of angular cheilitis as it results from a decrease in hemoglobin levels and erythrocyte concentration.
3. What vitamin deficiency causes mouth sores?
   Mouth sores can be caused by deficiencies in vitamins B12, folate, and iron.
4. How do you treat cheilitis in children?
   In young children, the cracks and splits often begin with lip-licking, biting the corners of the mouth, or thumb-sucking. Treatment depends on the cause and can include lip lubrication, antifungal and antibiotic medicine, vitamins, and dentures for a person without teeth.