Angular Stomatitis

Angular Stomatitis (also known as Angular Cheilitis or Cheilosis), is a type of inflammatory lesion that appears at the joint of lips (i.e. at the corner of mouth), caused by the build-up of saliva and sometimes with yeast involvement as a result of fungal infection in oral cavity. The wound (lesion) caused by it may sometimes be deep enough to start bleeding when a person opens his/her mouth. Small ulcers and formation of crusts may also accompany Angular Stomatitis.

Symptoms/problems involved with Angular Stomatitis:

• Onset and spread of the disease Angular Stomatitis is clearly visible as it appears on the joints of lips and there is no internal growth of infection.
• Inflammation of the lesion caused by the disease.
• In some severe cases, the cuts go deep into the skin and cause bleeding.
• Formation of crusts on the infected area of lips.
• Irritation of lips.
• Difficulty in opening mouth wide.

What causes Angular Stomatitis?

Although the main reason behind the onset of this disease has not yet been confirmed, doctors and scientists studying this disease claim to have established four most possible reasons:

• Saliva build-up with the possible involvement of yeast that causes lesion of lip joints.
• Nutritional deficiency (specifically deficiency of Vitamin B2, i.e. Riboflavin) may lead to Cheilosis.
• Cheilosis may occur in a patient as part of the symptoms of some other major disease such as Plummer-Vision Syndrome.
• People staying in a cold environment generally fall prey to this disease. People often acquire this disease during winter season.

Along with the above mentioned possible causes, few more conditions such as opening and closing of mouth in an irregular or unnatural fashion, a possible reaction to some type of medication or over-nutrition and a habit of lot of people to keep their lips wet by licking already diseased lips in cold weather are also considered.

(Please Note: Many doctors do not believe that Angular Stomatitis is a result of any kind of Vitamin, nutritional or any such deficiency but build-up of saliva with possible involvement of yeast.)

Treatment:

Treatment for Angular Stomatitis includes application of ointment, use of medications and also use of homemade remedies. The course of treatment is decided based on the condition of the patient and the extent at which the disease has spread. In some cases, this disease is also accompanied by fungal infection (caused by the candida infected saliva, if a patient is already suffering from Candidiasis) which also has to be taken care of and the antifungal ointments and medicines are used for the same.

As Angular Stomatitis may also occur in a patient as a symptom of some other disease, it also becomes highly important to look out for such possible diseases and decide the course of medication accordingly.

The treatment of Angular Stomatitis involves removal of chronic infection and any such condition that can cause more infection within the oral cavity, restoration of Vitamin level in patient's body (which includes dosage of medicine that contains high level of Vitamin B2, Folic Acid and some other ingredients), application of antifungal, anti-inflammatory ointment/cream, use of medications etc.