Inflamed Corners of the Mouth: Causes, Treatment & Help

When inflamed corners of the mouth are torn, painful discomfort results. Most notably, they tighten when you eat, brush your teeth, eat or come in contact with saliva. The corners of the mouth are reddened, torn or scaly. In addition, a feeling of tension develops without, for example, when speaking, yawning or laughing. These typical symptoms can occur on one or both sides. In the dry heating air or in cold weather, the lips sometimes tear easily. Then mouth corner rhagades can form from it. With a little care 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 the doctor.

What are inflamed corners of the mouth?

In the dry heating air or cold weather, lips sometimes tear easily. Then, corner of the mouth rhagades can form from it. With a little care cream, however, this problem should soon be resolved. If the corners of the mouth are painfully inflamed, the medical profession knows the technical terms angulus infectiosus (oris), cheilitis angularis, lazy lips, corner of the mouth rhagades and perlèche for this symptomatology. Angular rhagades of the mouth are common 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 threat to health. But since they can be an expression of serious diseases or malnutrition, the doctor should be consulted, especially in the case of prolonged inflammation.

Causes

Oral rhagades can have various causes or be promoted by them. These include very general reasons such as temperature, humidity or a mechanical stress. Very cold and also very warm air can make lips dry and brittle. In a closed, heated room, lips also like to become dry. High humidity and also the much practiced licking of the corners of the mouth are just as much a part of this as nervous chewing on the lip or generally very dry skin. Lack of nutrients or too much chili in the food sometimes cause sore lips. This includes a lack of vitamin B2, B3, B6, B12, iron or zinc. Contact allergens found in some cosmetic products or lipstick, nickel, the material of one’s dentures or overuse of toothpaste can injure and inflame the sensitive skin of the lips via irritation. An imbalance in the hormonal situation, e.g. during pregnancy or menopause, sometimes causes high sensitivity of the skin and thus also of the lips. Inflammation is then the next step. Poorly fitting dentures can irritate the lips. The symptom of inflamed corners of the mouth sometimes develops after treatment with antibiotics. Diseases that can themselves cause inflammation of the skin 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, all irritations, injuries and chapped lips can result in inflammation caused by infections. Responsible for this are mainly endogenous bacteria such as staphylococci, streptococci, viruses – and here especially the herpes simplex virus – and fungi, for example thrush or Candida albicans.

Diseases with this symptom

  • Vitamin deficiency
  • Iron deficiency
  • Down syndrome
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Thrush
  • Vitamin B12 deficiency
  • Zinc deficiency
  • Neurodermatitis
  • Food poisoning
  • Mineral deficiency
  • Contact allergy (contact dermatitis)
  • Menopause
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Labial herpes
  • Menopause

Diagnosis and progression

If inflamed corners of the mouth occur repeatedly or for a long time, the family doctor or dermatologist is the right medical contact. For the history of symptoms, he will ask about other complaints, treatments and previous diseases. The diagnosis is first made by inspection (visual examination) of the affected skin areas and additional examinations to find the cause of the inflamed corners of the mouth. For example, blisters on the lip indicate an acute herpes infection. Or the inflammation of the oral mucosa could be a fungal infection.A smear from the lip is used for later microscopic or laboratory examination for possible pathogens such as bacteria, viruses or fungi. The blood test provides information about the patient’s general condition. It is also possible that the patient is 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 advised if there is otherwise no evidence of the cause.

Complications

If there is talk of rhagade of the corners of the mouth, then we are talking about inflamed and torn corners of the mouth. There is a risk of bacterial or fungal based spread to other areas of the face or even the oral cavity. If bacteria and fungi are treated efficiently with the means of classical orthodox medicine or also the possibilities of homeopathy, their spread can be prevented. If the bacteria and fungi are successfully treated, infections and mycoses cannot spread in the face. Scabbing cannot be avoided in most cases. An increase of this symptomatology is the formation of ulcers, which can lead to restrictions in the opening of the mouth. Bloody and painful ulcers at the corners of the mouth are also frequently observed as a complication and must be treated immediately. The risk of antibiotic or antifungal spread should always be considered. A more 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, there is a massive restriction of the chewing and swallowing function. As a result, malnutrition and dehydration may even occur. Ulcerations, secondary infections and CNS or eye involvement must be mentioned in summary as complications. If the affected person is on antibiotic or cytostatic therapy, candidiasis (infectious diseases caused by fungi of the genus Candida ) may occur just as in patients with a weakened immune system.

When should you go to the doctor?

In the case of inflamed corners of the mouth, a visit to the doctor is not absolutely necessary at first: Unless other symptoms of the disease appear at the same time, nothing can be missed or carried off in a few days in the case of rhagades of the corners of the mouth. Often, treatment with home remedies (cream) is enough to make the inflammation disappear. In principle, however, the appearance of inflamed corners of the mouth should be taken as an opportunity to think about nutrition – fissures of 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 at intervals of a few weeks, a visit to the doctor is advisable: Only a thorough diagnosis can reliably determine a possible underlying vitamin or mineral deficiency, an allergy, an infection with bacteria or yeast fungi or a systemic disease and initiate appropriate treatment. The family doctor or a dermatologist are responsible. If it is suspected that ill-fitting and/or poorly maintained loose dentures are causing the mouth angle rhagades, the family doctor or dermatologist will recommend a visit to the dentist. The latter will provide a denture hygiene consultation and readjust the denture if necessary.

Treatment and therapy

In the first instance, the doctor will prescribe an ointment to lubricate the lips and keep them supple in the long term. Or he may prescribe a paste , which is antibiotic, antiviral or antifungal. If, however, a contact allergy has been diagnosed, the only way to help is to avoid this substance as much as possible. However, to achieve long-term therapeutic success, the underlying deficiency or disease should be treated. For example, in the case of a specific vitamin or iron deficiency, only high-dose preparations, possibly also injected, and a change in diet will help. Diabetes mellitus, liver cirrhosis or other metabolic diseases or organ disorders must be treated thoroughly and in the long term. Only then will symptoms such as the inflamed corners of the mouth heal more quickly or not develop at all.Especially in winter, use a suitable lip care. Only then the skin in the corners of the mouth remains elastic and does not tear so quickly even when stressed.

Outlook and prognosis

Torn or inflamed corners of the mouth usually heal within a few days, provided that the underlying condition is completely cured and the corners of the mouth are spared. A weakened immune system or diabetes, for example, can lead to a delay in 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 caused by an allergy or even a viral or fungal infection, treatment will also take longer. Inflammations as a result of a herpes disease can always recur after an infection, but can also be reduced by comprehensive treatment. In general, the outlook for oral angle rhagades is good: if the complaints are treated early and the triggers are eliminated, the cracks heal without long-term consequences. At most, the formation of scars can occur with chronic complaints. For a meaningful prognosis, the constitution and possible previous diseases of the affected person must be taken into account. In infants and young children, the elderly, and patients with immunodeficiency, recovery may take several days to a week. The final prognosis should be made by a physician even for an apparently harmless symptom such as torn corners of the mouth.

Prevention

To prevent inflamed corners of the mouth from developing in the first place, the lips should remain dry above all. 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, nutrient deficiencies can be eliminated with a diet specifically designed for this purpose. Highly salty, acidic or spicy foods 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 will help.

Here’s what you can do yourself

Inflamed corners of the mouth are usually not dangerous, but painful and unaesthetic, which is why they limit the quality of life of those affected. Whether and what they themselves can do about it depends on the causes of the inflamed corners of the mouth. Chronic inflammations are often caused by malnutrition. People who regularly follow reduction 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 eat a one-sided and unhealthy diet, it is often enough to integrate more plant-based food, especially fresh fruit and vegetables, into the diet. If the indoor climate at work is part of the problem, those affected should ensure high humidity and well-ventilated rooms at home. Mechanical irritation caused by electric toothbrushes or oral irrigators should be avoided until the corners of the mouth have healed. If inflamed corners of the mouth do not heal, this is also due to the fact that patients constantly touch the fissures, often unconsciously. The skin areas thus become permanently contaminated. Affected persons should be aware of how often they touch their face and try to condition themselves differently. In addition, when eating, yawning, speaking or laughing, the mouth should not be opened to such an extent that the corners of the mouth become tense, as this causes the fissures to tear even deeper. A good skin care cream will ensure that the irritated skin areas do not dry out.