- 02 Apr 2009
Description and Possible Medical Problems
Do you have cracks in the corners of your mouth that never quite seem to heal? You apply Vaseline, lip balm, and maybe even an over-the-counter bacitracin ointment, but nothing seems to help.
This annoying problem is called angular cheilitis, or perleche, and is caused by any one of a number of underlying conditions. The most common cause is dentures that no longer fit properly. When this happens, your bite is naturally altered, and the dentutes may rub against the insides of your mouth, causing irritation and sores in the corners of your mouth that never totally disappear.
Another less common cause of angular cheilitis is a vitamin B deficiency. Do you eat a lot of refined foods made with white flour and other processed grains? If you have cracks in the corners of your mouth and you don’t wear dentures and your bite hasn’t changed recently, you may need to eat more foods that are rich in vitamin B (see page 149), as well as taking a vitamin B supplement.
Cracks in the corners of your mouth are relatively simple to treat; all you have to do is address the underlying cause.
If you believe that poorly fitting dentures are the cause of your cheilitis, you should visit your dentist, who will make the necessary adjustments in your dental appliance. After wearing the newly adjusted denture for a few days, the cracks in the corners of your mouth should disappear.
If you don’t wear dentures, and you know that your diet is low in vitamin B, you can start to cure the cracks in the corners of your mouth by eating whole-grain breads and cereals instead of refined ones. It’s also a good idea to take a B-complex vitamin supplement, which will quickly help clear up the cracks.
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- Tags: General health
- Category: General health