Friday, November 13, 2009

Angular Stomatitis: Causes and Treatment

By Bart Icles

Suffering from painful cracks along the corners of your mouth? You must probably have angular stomatitis. This skin condition is characterized by having painful fissures or cracks along the corners of your mouth that can make it very difficult and uncomfortable to perform simple actions like opening your mouth to speak, drink or eat. Many people think that the cracks or fissures are caused by extremely cold weather but this skin condition can develop regardless of the type of climate you are in.

In many cases, angular stomatitis is a result of having poor nutrition. If you do not observe a well-balanced diet everyday, it is more likely for you to develop this kind of condition. Some experts believe that the very cause of this skin condition is a deficiency in the required amount of vitamins and minerals that should be part of your everyday diet. More often than not, a deficiency in various B vitamins, like riboflavin, as well as a lack in iron intake can result to having dry cracks on the corners of your mouth.

It might be a good idea to start treating your skin condition through observing a proper and well-balanced diet. It also helps if you take in vitamin supplements or herbal supplements so you can better ensure that your body has the right levels of vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy. Doing so, you can keep yourself from suffering from this kind of skin condition, as well as speed up the process of recovery if you are already suffering from such a condition.

The best way to treat angular stomatitis is through determining its very cause. Once you know what have caused you to suffer from this skin condition, you would be able to better treat it. You can ask the help of your doctor in determining its cause and possible solutions or treatments. There are also some home remedies that you can safely try. These include applying a protective layer of moisturizing substance on the cracks or fissures, like a lip balm or petroleum jelly. The lip balm or petroleum jelly can help retain moisture, keeping the pain and discomfort you feel at bay.

At other times, angular stomatitis can be an indication of a more serious health concern or issue. Therefore, it is necessary that you seek medical help once you frequently or consistently suffer from this kind of skin condition.

About the Author: