Cracked corners of mouth (angular cheilitis) are a common health problem that may cause the corners of your mouth to look hideous. This condition may occur due to many factors ranging from harmless causes such as dry weather conditions to more serious health problems such as skin cancer. Explore, pictures, causes, signs and symptoms of cracked mouth corners. Also, learn how to get rid of them with medical treatments. Depending of the causes, you can also go for suitable home remedies to fix the problem.
Signs and Symptoms
Cracked corners of the mouth are a health problem that can show up in different forms depending on the causal agent. Angular cheilitis can appear as the dry, flaky or scaly skin on the affected area. It can also be in a form of sores, bumps or fluid-filled blisters.
It is quite significant for you to have a general outlook on the possible signs and symptoms that are associated with cracked corners of the mouth. This may help you to know any if corners of your mouth are having a health problem.
The common signs and symptoms of cracked corners of the mouth include the following:
- Dry, scaly or flaky skin and sometimes leathery
- Fluid-filled blisters and weeping bumps
- White, gray, or yellow crusted bumps in corners of the mouth
- Redness, inflamed and tender skin around the corners of the mouth
- The corners of the mouth keep splitting and bleed easily
- Hard bumps around the vermilion zone of the lip that are either itchy or not itchy
- Tiny or large bumps like rash that spread on entire lip zone
- Painful chronic ulcers or sores in corners of the mouth that won’t heal easily
- Dry mouth with little salivation to moisten the oral cavity
Other than this signs and symptoms you might also experience another strange symptom such as temporary loss of taste, bad mouth taste, fever, sore throat, headache, vomiting, sneezing, running nose or any other.
Large cracks in corners of the mouth can cause intense pain that can lead to difficulties in eating, drinking, speaking and smiling. For the case of the intense pain at the corners your mouth, it is advisable to seek the help of a medical expert who can help in diagnosis and the treatment of your oral problem.
Cracked Corners of Mouth Pictures
How do cracked corners of the mouth look like? We have included descriptive pictures of cracked corners of the mouth in relevant parts of this post to show you how they might appear for your visual understanding.
You may use this picture (images) to evaluate the health condition of your mouth. However, you should not use the images as a reference for self-diagnosis and treatment without the help of the doctor.
Causes of Cracked Corners of Mouth
There are various factors that can cause the corners of your mouth to crack. Some of these factors are benign conditions such as dry weather that can encourage chapped and cracked lips. Occasionally, more serious health condition can also lead to the cracked skin in corners of the mouth.
The common causes of dry and cracked skin in corners of the mouth include the following:
1. Dry weather
Cracks in the corners of your mouth can occur as a consequence of dry weather. Angular cheilitis is a common mouth problem that often shows up during the winter season. Though your lips might crack during any season when you are exposed to factors that can encourage skin dehydration.
Direct exposure of your skin to dry weather condition can increase the rate at which skin becomes dehydrated by losing its moisture to the environment. Excess dehydration of the body can also lead to dry and chapped lips that can easily develop cracks.
2. Cold sore
Cold sore is another factor that can result in cracked corners of your lips. Cold sores are red or pink fluid-filled blisters that ooze out fluids that crust over and finally heal. The outbreak of cold sores in corners of your lips can lead to dried and cracked skin in the affected area after the blisters crust over.
Cold sore infection is caused by herpes simplex virus. This virus is highly communicable. The virus can spread from infected person to another through direct in contact with the infected saliva.
3. Canker sore
The outbreak of canker sore infection can also cause dry cracked lips. Canker sores are painful mouth lesion that has gray or yellow center surrounded by red color. Canker sores typically occur inside the oral cavity but they can also appear on the surface of the lips and in corners of the mouth.
The main cause of canker sores infection is not clearly known but the condition is correlated to occur due to a sudden change of hormones, oral trauma, stress and weakened immunity. Canker sores in corners of the mouth are a mild condition that can cause cracked lips which can heal within a period of few weeks.
4. Fungal infection
Oral thrush is also known as candidiasis infection. This is a fungal or yeast infection that can affect the corners of the mouth to develop a white scaly skin that can crack easily. This infection is encouraged by excess drooling of saliva that is trapped in corners of the lips.
Poor oral hygiene can also encourage the overgrowth of yeast infection around the oral cavity. You can manage to control oral thrush by maintaining proper oral hygiene by cleaning your mouth after eating a meal.
5. Allergic reaction
Cracked corners of mouth can show up due to an allergic reaction. Exposure of your lips to irritant and allergens can lead to a skin condition known as contacted dermatitis. This condition is associated with dry and cracked skin on the affected area of the skin.
Eating too spicy food and acidic foods can irritate the skin of the mouth to develop an allergic reaction. Also, other substance like harsh lip balms, poison ivy, detergents can also irritate your lips to develop a scaly cracked skin.
6. Psoriasis on lips
Infection of psoriasis on your lips might have a consequence of cracked corners of mouth. This condition is characterized by dry silvery red, pink or white patches on the affected parts. Psoriasis can also affect other parts of the skin such as on neck region, scalp, arms and feet.
7. Eczema on the lip
Eczema is a chronic autoimmune disease that is associated with red itchy dry skin on the affected area. This infection can occur anywhere including corners of your mouth. Eczema around the lips can lead to dry, scaly and cracked lips.
8. Smoking and chewing tobacco products
Dry and cracked corners of the lips are a common problem that often occurs in individuals who smoke or chew tobacco product. The hot smoke from the cigarettes can burn the skin around the mouth hence develop small scales and cracks.
Smoking and chewing tobacco product not only makes your lips dry and cracked but also might increase the risk of getting any type of cancerous condition in your body. Occasionally, the chapped lips of smoker can develop a chronic cancerous condition that is accompanied by bumps, sores and cracked skin on the surface of the lips.
9. STD
You can develop Angular cheilitis when you are infected with the sexually transmitted disease (STD) or infection (STI). Syphilis, oral herpes, genital herpes, and HIV are the common STD that might cause the corners of your lips to dry up and form cracks.
10. Nutrients deficiency
Generally, individuals who experience nutrients deficiency show a characteristic of dry or chapped lips. Mineral and vitamin deficiency in the body system has a consequence of dry lips and cracked corners of mouth.
Minerals such as zinc and iron play a critical role to maintain supple skin on the body surface. Similarly to vitamin B 12, vitamin B 2 and vitamin D that also aid to maintain soft skin. Severe malnutrition might lead to chronic Angular cheilitis around your mouth.
11. Drooling and lip licking
Continuous drooling of saliva and lip licking is another factor that can encourage dry and cracked lips. Licking your lips each time can irritate the skin of the lips to dry up and develop tiny cracks. Also, the habit of drooling saliva out of the mouth can make excess saliva to be trapped and dry in the corners of the mouth that can irritate the skin to develop cracks.
12. Oral cancer
Cracked corners of your mouth can occur as an effect of oral cancer infection. Cancer is chronic conditions that are associated with various symptoms such as sores, bumps and cracked skin on the area affected
13. Dental work
Cracked corners of the mouth can show up after dental work. This might be attributed to occur as a consequence of mouth injuries or trauma caused by dental work. For instance, harsh chemicals used in teeth whitening can irritate the delicate skin of the lips to dry up and form cracks.
14. Change of hormones
According to Mayo Clinic, cracked corners of mouth during pregnancy and menstruation period in women can occur because of change of body hormones. Also, body stress that leads to anxiety and change of hormones can as well lead to dry and cracked lips.
15. Other rare causes
You might develop cracked corners of the lips as an effect of other underlying condition in your body such as:
- Diabetes
- Kidney infection
- Liver infection
- Lung infection
- Anemia
Diagnosis of Cracked Corners of Mouth
What makes the corners of my mouth keep splitting? If this is your question, you can visit your doctor to help in diagnosis in order to determine the main cause of the cracked skin on lips. After diagnosis the oral problem, you can go appropriate treatment.
Your doctor might use signs and symptoms to diagnose your problem. Alternatively, your doctor might use another scientific method in the laboratory to determine the cause of cracked corners of your mouth. For example, blood samples, oral sputum, and tissue biopsy sample can be extracted from your mouth and taken to the laboratory for detailed examination.
For the laboratory results, your doctor will guide you about the appropriate treatment you can go for that can help to heal cracked corners of your lips.
Cracked Corners of Mouth Treatment
After finding out the main cause of cracked corners of your mouth from diagnosis, you can go medical treatment by visiting your doctor. More serious oral condition like cancer, eczema, and psoriasis and STD infection can be treated by this method.
Your doctor might help you on how to heal cracked lips fast by using the following methods:
- Prescription of ointments that include antifungal creams for lips and antibacterial gels that help to facilitate the healing of cracked lips.
- Prescription of oral drugs that can help to cure the underlying condition that causes your lips to crack.
- Laser treatment that uses the strong light wave to remove the dry cracked skin from the corners of the mouth.
- A surgical procedure that can help to remove dry cracked skin in corners of your mouth.
Home Remedies for Cracked Corners of Mouth
For the case of mild cracked corners of your mouth caused by minor health problems such as allergic reaction, dry weather, and lip licking. You can use home remedies that can help to solve such oral problems.
You can try the following:
- Olive oil
Olive oil is an excellent home remedy that can help to cure Angular cheilitis of your lips. Olive oil has antifungal and antibacterial properties that can help to treat different skin infections including cracked corners of mouth. The oil also helps to moisturize the dry, flaky and cracked skin of the lips.
How to use:
- Clean the affected lips with warm water and pat dry it with a washcloth
- Apply few drop of olive oil on the cracked corners of your mouth
- Spread it gently with your fingers
- Allow the oil to stay on your lips for the whole day
- Repeat to apply it three times per day for few weeks
- Alternatively, can use any coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil, almonds oil, Neem tree oil or any other available essential oil instead of olive oil.
- Baking soda
You can use baking soda as home remedies for cracked corners of your mouth. the reagent has astringent properties that can help to heal cracked skin. It also keeps away harmful bacteria and fungi in order to initiate the healing of Angular cheilitis.
How to use:
- Mix one teaspoon of baking soda with few drops of cold water to make a fine paste
- Apply the paste to the affected parts of the lips
- Rinse the paste with cold water after 15 minutes
- Repeat this application two times in a day for few weeks until you notice a change
- Raw honey and lemon juice
You can help to heal cracked corners of your lips with the use of a mixture of raw honey and lemon juice. Honey has antibacterial, antifungal and moistening properties that can help to heal chapped lips. Lemon juice has the antiseptic abilities that can help kill harmful microorganism in the affected area of your lips to facilitate the healing process.
How to use:
- Mix one teaspoon of lemon juice with equal amount of raw honey
- Apply the solution on the affected corners of your lips with cracks
- Let the mixture to take 30 minutes on your skin before rinsing it off with water
- Repeat the treatment three times in day for few weeks until cracks in corners of your mouth heal completely
- Use of moisturizers
You can use suitable skin moisturizer that is formulated to lock in the skin moisture and keep the skin supple. Vaseline petroleum jelly is an example of skin moisturizer that can help to moisten and soothe itchy cracked skin in corners on your mouth.
You can also use any other suitable lip balms as a home remedy that can help to moisten the dry cracked corners of the mouth.
How to use:
- Clean the affected lips with cold water and pat dry it with a wash towel
- Carefully apply the moisturizer to the cracked lips using your finger
- Allow the moisturizer to stay on your lips for the whole daytime
- Ensure your lips has the moisturizer and you may apply it anytime you feel your lips are about to dry again
- Continue with this treatment daily until cracks in corners on your lips go away
- Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is an effective home remedy for cracked corners of mouth. The herb has a natural medicinal property that can help to heal Angular cheilitis. Aloe Vera can also help to soothe itchy cracked corners of the lips.
How to use:
- Clean the affected parts of the mouth with cold water and pat dry it
- Apply the Aloe Vera gel, cream or juice on the cracked skin of your lips
- Repeat this procedure two times in a day for few weeks until cracks in corners of your lips go away
- Toothpaste
Toothpaste is another suitable home remedies you can use to treat cracked corners on your mouth. Toothpaste has fluoride that can help in removal oral plagues including infections that causes cracked lips.
How to use:
- Apply the toothpaste directly on cracked skin in corners of your lips
- Allow it to take 30 minutes before rinsing it off with cold water
- For effective results, repeat this treatment two times in a day
You can also use other home remedies such as the application of yogurt, apple cider vinegar, drinking enough water and eating a balanced diet.
When to See a Doctor
You can see you doctor over cracked corners of mouth if your notice the following condition that includes:
- When cracks in corners of your mouth has refused to go away even after a period of three weeks
- When cracks in corners of your mouth are causing intense pain that leads to difficulties in eating, drinking and speaking
- If cracked corners of your mouth are accompanied by another strange symptom like a headache, fever, vomiting or any other
- If you the skin of your lips has chronic cracks that can bleed easily
- When crack on your lips develop into sore in corners of mouth that won’t heal
- When your child has signs of cracked corners of the mouth that look worrisome to you
Sources and References
[showhide type=”links” more_text=”Show Sources and References” less_text=”Hide Sources and References”]
- Cracked corners of the mouth (Angular cheilitis): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_cheilitis
- Signs and symptoms of cracked corners of the mouth: https://www.buzzfeed.com/carolinekee/my-mouth-is-like-the-joker-right-now?utm_term=.ca8DaEnzN#.nrVrzM9Xn
- Signs and symptoms of cracked corners of the lips: https://symptomchecker.webmd.com/multiple-symptoms?symptoms=cracks-at-corner-of-mouth%7Cdry-mouth&symptomids=321%7C85&locations=7%7C7
- Causes of cracked lips: https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/01/03/angular-cheilitis-perleche-home-remedies/
- Causes of Angular cheilitis: https://www.livestrong.com/article/306385-dry-cracked-corners-of-the-mouth/
- Causes of cracked corners of the lips: http://skincare.lovetoknow.com/Cracked_Corners_of_Lips
- Cracked lips: https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/tc/mouth-problems-noninjury-topic-overview#1
- How to get rid of Angular cheilitis:http://www.skincareorg.com/lips/cracked-lip-corners-heal-cracked-lip-corners-fast-treatment-home-remedies/
- Treatment of cracked corners of the mouth: https://www.livestrong.com/article/303385-how-to-repair-cracked-lips/
- Home remedies for cracked corners of the mouth: https://www.homeremedyhacks.com/22-effective-home-remedies-for-angular-cheilitis-treatment/ [/showhide]