Cheilitis is divided into several types.

Written by Li Cui
Dentistry
Updated on September 20, 2024
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Cheilitis is a relatively common oral inflammation in dentistry, with allergic cheilitis being a common type. Allergic cheilitis may occur when the patient's lips come into contact with certain allergenic substances, such as lipstick, lip balm, or medications. If these components cause discomfort to the patient's lips, it can trigger an allergy, leading to localized red rashes, peeling, and itching of the lips. There is also a type called chronic cheilitis, which generally arises from internal heat in the patient’s body, or a deficiency in certain vitamins and trace elements, leading to dry and cracked lips. Another type is seasonal cheilitis, which occurs during the dry climate of autumn and winter, causing the lips to become inflamed due to the dry weather. This type of cheilitis is generally mild and can be alleviated quickly by applying some anti-inflammatory ointment locally. Patients need not be overly concerned but should relax, paying more attention to daily dietary hygiene.

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Written by Wang Peng
Dentistry
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How can exfoliative cheilitis be completely treated?

Exfoliative cheilitis is currently very difficult to completely cure. Exfoliative cheilitis is considered an immune disease, caused by external irritants, allergens, and various other factors triggering an abnormal body reaction. Clinically, it mainly presents as scaling and peeling of the lip tissue, along with chronic inflammation. Patients with this condition can undergo symptomatic treatment, but curing it entirely is very challenging. During outbreaks of exfoliative cheilitis, it is important to keep the lips clean. Methods like moist compresses can help maintain lip moisture and prevent the cheilitis from worsening due to dryness. Patients should avoid peeling off dry skin from the lips with their hands as this can lead to infections.

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Written by Wang Peng
Dentistry
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Can chapped lips be exposed to the sun?

Patients with cheilitis are advised not to expose themselves to the sun. The exact causes of cheilitis are not fully clear, but clinical doctors generally believe that certain external irritants are directly related to the onset of cheilitis. For example, stimuli from cold and dry climates or prolonged exposure to sunlight can lead to the occurrence of cheilitis and may also exacerbate the condition in patients. Therefore, patients with cheilitis are advised against sun exposure before it is clear which specific cause is responsible. Those suffering from cheilitis should first eliminate local irritants, such as frequent licking or biting of the lips, and maintain local moisture. This can be achieved by methods such as moist compresses to relieve dryness.

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Written by Wang Peng
Dentistry
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Is metronidazole effective for cheilitis?

Patients with cheilitis will not see therapeutic effects from taking metronidazole. There are many causes of cheilitis in clinical practice. Once diagnosed with cheilitis, patients should first eliminate any irritating factors, such as frequent licking or biting of the lips, which should be corrected. In dry or cold weather, extra attention should be paid to applying lip balm or doing local moist compresses to keep the lips hydrated. If cheilitis is caused by exposure to sunlight or other similar reasons, patients should focus on sun protection to avoid prolonged sun exposure. In such cases, since there is no bacterial infection, taking metronidazole will not be effective in treatment.

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Written by Tian Hua
Otolaryngology
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How to treat exfoliative cheilitis?

Treatment for exfoliative cheilitis involves identifying and removing potential causes, avoiding external irritants, and correcting bad habits with local medication treatment. For mild cases, apply honey, glycerin, petroleum jelly, silver nitrate ointment, or zinc oxide ointment externally. In severe cases, apply corticosteroid cream externally, consider surgical removal for those with epitheliomatous hyperplasia, and treat with helium-neon laser irradiation and superficial X-ray irradiation. Drug treatment shows significant short-term effects, but often recurs and is difficult to cure completely. (Note: Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Fang Xiao
Dentistry
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How can the peeling at the closure of cheilitis be healed?

For chapped lips with peeling at the edges, the first step is to correct the bad habit of licking the lips. Do not tear off dry skin on the lips, to prevent cracking, and use saline solution for moist compresses, apply lip balm to keep the lips moisturized, avoid all potential allergens, and protect against the irritation of windy and cold weather. Drink plenty of water regularly, eat a balanced diet, and supplement with a variety of vitamins such as Vitamin C and Vitamin B. For mild cases of peeling, one can directly apply lip balm or break open a Vitamin E capsule and apply it. For severe cases, an antibiotic ointment can be used for treatment, which can effectively alleviate symptoms of chapped and peeling lips.