| Angular cheilitis | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Rhagades,[1] perlèche,[2] cheilosis,[2] angular cheilosis,[2] commissural cheilitis,[2] angular stomatitis[2] |
 | |
| Bilateral angular cheilitis in an elderly individual with false teeth, iron deficiency anemia and dry mouth | |
| Pronunciation | |
| Specialty | Dentistry, dermatology |
| Symptoms | Redness, skin breakdown and crusting at the corner of the mouth[2] |
| Usual onset | Children, 30s to 60s[2] |
| Duration | Days to years[2] |
| Causes | Infection, irritation, allergies[2] |
| Treatment | Based on cause, barrier cream[2] |
| Frequency | 0.7% of the population[3] |
Angular cheilitis (AC) is inflammation of one or both corners of the mouth.[4][5] Often the corners are red with skin breakdown and crusting.[2] It can also be itchy or painful.[2] The condition can last for days to years.[2] Angular cheilitis is a type of cheilitis (inflammation of the lips).[6]
Angular cheilitis can be caused by infection, irritation, or allergies.[2] Infections include by fungi such as Candida albicans and bacteria such as Staph. aureus.[2] Irritants include poorly fitting dentures, licking the lips or drooling, mouth breathing resulting in a dry mouth, sun exposure, overclosure of the mouth, smoking, and minor trauma.[2] Allergies may include substances like toothpaste, makeup, and food.[2] Often a number of factors are involved.[2] Other factors may include poor nutrition or poor immune function.[2][5] Diagnosis may be helped by testing for infections and patch testing for allergies.[2]
Treatment for angular cheilitis is typically based on the underlying causes along with the use of a barrier cream.[2] Frequently an antifungal and antibacterial cream is also tried.[2] Angular cheilitis is a fairly common problem,[2] with estimates that it affects 0.7% of the population.[3] It occurs most often in people in their 30s to 60s, and is also relatively common in children.[2] In the developing world, iron, vitamin B12, and other vitamin deficiencies are a common cause.[5]
- ^ Pindborg, Jens Jørgen (1973). Atlas of Diseases of the Oral Mucosa. Saunders. ISBN 9780721672649. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
Angular cheilosis: The lateral lip fissures, well known among denture wearers, have been called by a variety of names, such as "rhagades", "perleche", "angular cheilitis", and "angular cheilosis".
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Park, KK; Brodell, RT; Helms, SE (June 2011). "Angular cheilitis, part 1: local etiologies". Cutis. 87 (6): 289–95. PMID 21838086.
- ^ a b Lyons, Faye (2014). Dermatology for the Advanced Practice Nurse. Springer Publishing Company. p. 95. ISBN 9780826136442. Archived from the original on 2016-08-16.
- ^ Scully, Crispian (2008). Oral and maxillofacial medicine : the basis of diagnosis and treatment (2nd ed.). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. pp. 147–49. ISBN 9780443068188.
- ^ a b c Park, KK; Brodell RT; Helms SE. (July 2011). "Angular cheilitis, part 2: nutritional, systemic, and drug-related causes and treatment" (PDF). Cutis. 88 (1): 27–32. PMID 21877503. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-04-19.
- ^ Martin, Elizabeth (2015). Concise Medical Dictionary. Oxford University Press. p. 136. ISBN 9780199687817. Archived from the original on 2016-08-16.