What is the difference between angular cheilitis and cheilitis?

Written by Li Cui
Dentistry
Updated on September 20, 2024
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Angular cheilitis usually occurs only at the two corners of the mouth, also commonly referred to as "cracked corners of the mouth." The surface may show some whitish substances and appear moist. Patients might avoid opening their mouths wide, as doing so can cause significant pain due to the worsening of the sores at the corners. This may even prevent patients from eating normally. Angular cheilitis generally refers to various inflammatory conditions of the lips, such as cracking, bleeding, and peeling, which could be caused by changes in the weather. For example, during the dry seasons of autumn and winter, patients' lips are prone to these inflammatory symptoms, showing signs like cracking, bleeding, and peeling. It is advised that patients should not peel off the skin with their hands, as this can increase the risk of infective inflammation. Thus, angular cheilitis is different from cheilitis.

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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 Li Cui
Dentistry
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Can I drink milk with cheilitis?

Cheilitis is a common condition, and patients with cheilitis can drink milk. Milk is a high-quality protein that can play a beneficial role in bodily repair and is overall beneficial to one's health, so it is recommended that patients drink milk appropriately. Additionally, it is advised that patients with cheilitis should avoid frequently licking their lips or touching them with their hands, as the skin on the inflamed lips is quite fragile and cannot withstand external irritations. Such frequent stimulation can exacerbate the inflammation. It is recommended that patients take appropriate oral vitamins. During the dry seasons of autumn and winter, patients can apply glycerin or lip balm to keep their lips moisturized.

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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 Li Bao Hua
Dentistry
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You should go to the dermatology department for cheilitis.

Cheilitis should be treated in the department of oral mucosa. Cheilitis is a general term for diseases that occur on the lips and is a type of inflammatory reaction. There are many classifications of cheilitis; by the speed of the disease's development, it can be divided into acute cheilitis and chronic cheilitis, with acute cheilitis often being an acute inflammatory reaction of the lips caused by allergies. If classified by clinical symptoms, cheilitis can be categorized into eczematous cheilitis, erosive cheilitis, and exfoliative cheilitis, which may involve white scaling on the lips. Cheilitis can also be classified based on its cause, including granulomatous cheilitis, benign lymphoproliferative cheilitis, and hypersensitivity cheilitis, and it can also be related to systemic diseases. Cheilitis, a disease that occurs on the lips, has a relatively high incidence rate.