Receiving an angular cheilitis diagnosis is not the end of the world. In fact, more than half the time angular cheilitis gets confused with the herpes simplex type 1. We can assure you that you would rather test positive to angular cheilitis than to the herpes virus because the former is far easier to treat using alternative medicine.
Continue reading for a few of the top angular cheilitis home remedies that will have you back to your normal self in no time.
Who is at risk?
Countless medical studies point to seniors as being more prone to developing angular cheilitis, also called cheilosis, but more recent studies say otherwise.
Yes, the elderly have shown high cases of cheilosis, but as innovations are being made in the field of dentistry, more young people are starting to develop angular cheilitis as well.
Those who have braces know all too well about the excess saliva that pools at the side of your mouth while you sleep. Even though this might appear harmless, you are creating the perfect setting for angular cheilitis to emerge.
Braces are more common than ever amongst young people attempting to get a perfect smile, which is why we are seeing a sharp increase in youth dealing with this condition.
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What causes Angular Cheilitis?
Any number of things could have been the cause for angular cheilitis to emerge around the corners of your mouth from saliva to general irritation. However, the number one cause that makes it easy for most doctors to identify it in the first place is a fungal infection.
The infection is typically caused by a certain type of fungus by the name of Candida. This particular strain attacks your body by negatively impacting your immune system, which explains why it affects your mouth in such a way [1].
Candida is the same fungus that is the culprit behind diaper rashes in babies.
Another cause happens to be your own saliva. If you tend to overproduce saliva, it can get trapped alongside the corners of your mouth where it builds up as time passes. When this saliva dries, it will cause cracks to emerge.
People usually make the mistake of continuing to lick their lips hoping that it’ll fix the dry problem, but this action will only make matters worse. As long as there are both moisture and warmth in a certain area, cheilitis will come knocking.
Now that we know the two major causes behind angular cheilitis, but how to recognize the symptoms associated with this condition.
What are the symptoms?
You should observe the corners of your mouth for signs of angular cheilitis since that location is where symptoms predominately pop up. The two symptoms you’ll notice will be soreness and irritation.
The list of symptoms below will give you a clear understanding as to how one or both corners of your mouth may look or feel like.
List of Symptoms:
List of Symptoms:- Blisters
- Bleeding
- Cracked
- Red
- Sore
- Swollen
- Scaly
- Crusty
- Itchy
In more extreme cases, it’ll be difficult to eat because of the pain you’ll feel around your mouth. The bad taste will discourage you from eating, which is the opposite of what you should do since you will only get better if you allow your immune system to do its job [2].
However, there are some angular cheilitis home remedies you could partake in, which would quicken your recovery time frame.
Natural Remedies for Angular Cheilitis
1. Lemongrass Oil Vapor
In just under 95% of cases, doctors have found that the fungus Candida is present. An effective treatment that fights against the Candida present in angular cheilitis is lemongrass oil.
Most people incorrectly assume that they have to apply the lemongrass oil directly on their cracked lips. We can assure you that this will cause a stinging sensation and will not benefit you in any way when it comes to treating your ailment.
The most efficient way to utilize lemongrass as an angular cheilitis home remedy treatment is in vapor form.
You’ll immediately feel the healing power of lemongrass when you use it properly. See below a brief step by step guide how to make the lemongrass oil vapor.
Step by Step
- Take a cup of water and mix a couple of drops of lemongrass oil into it.
- Then you want to pour this solution in a pot and place the pot on top of the stove. You’ll have to turn the stove on at high heat.
- To prevent burning your hands, you should try and keep the water from bubbling and boiling.
- Once it looks like there is steam coming from the pot, you can lean over and place your lips on the steam. The lemongrass oil vapor will kill the Candida, which will help treat the cheilosis.
Lemongrass oil isn’t your only savior. Maybe aloe vera gel is more up your alley as an angular cheilitis natural home remedy.
2. Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera seems to be the answer for all home remedies, so it shouldn’t come as a shock that you can also use it to treat cracked lips. Similar to lemongrass oil vapor, aloe vera is known to specifically target the fungus Candida, which is always tied in with angular cheilitis.
Aloe vera not only treats the fungus directly but also acts as a natural anti-inflammatory agent, which is one of the symptoms of angular cheilitis [3]. Those who deal with this condition because of the herpes virus should consider relying on aloe vera as a remedy because it contains strong anti-viral properties.
Overall, aloe veras uses overlap with treating other oral-related conditions, so you can’t go wrong using aloe vera.
Step by Step
- You have to find a pure form of aloe vera gel because a lot of drugstores sell artificial aloe vera, which has no beneficial medicinal properties whatsoever.
- Once you find the right gel, you want to apply it two to three time daily until the day comes and your infection is gone.
- When you apply the aloe vera, you should leave it one for one hour before you rinse it off with lukewarm water.
- Removing the aloe vera in this manner ensures that the surrounding skin stays moisturized.
If you prefer a home remedy that easier to locate in stores, you’ll be happy to hear that you can use honey as well.
3. Honey
Honey is one of the widely used home remedies for angular cheilitis since it contains a large number of active properties that focus on killing any infection present [4]. This means you can say goodbye to all those unwanted sores and blisters on the corner of your mouth.
Studies are being performed testing the effectiveness of honey for antibacterial and antifungal purposes, and they have released some news that has doctors switching up their surgical procedure habits.
For instance, some physicians are now wrapping up wound dressings with honey. Some laboratories have created a super concentrated version of honey that is specifically used for medicinal purposes.
However, you don’t have to go out of your way to use that. This is because raw honey naturally has antibacterial properties that function to heal dry skin. Out of all the raw honey you could choose from, the one that has proven to be a reliable home remedy for angular cheilitis is Manuka honey.
If you wish to start your honey treatment today, you should continue reading the instructions below.
Step by Step
- Using honey as a treatment is similar to using aloe vera gel. You’ll want to apply raw honey onto your dry chapped lips throughout the day as you see fit. Whenever you feel your lips starting to dry out, you should immediately re-apply some honey.
- By doing this every day, your blister should disappear in a matter of days.
4. Coconut Oil
4. Coconut OilAbout 95% of people who used coconut oil as a home remedy treatment for angular cheilitis ended up eliminating some of their symptoms a lot quicker than expected. This is because coconut oil has properties that specifically kill of the Candida fungus.
Applying coconut oil to your lips is an excellent habit to start because it will constantly moisturize your lips which will reduce the chance of you having to deal with this condition ever again.
Step by Step
- All you have to do is apply coconut oil around your lips and especially on the infected area. You should do this consistently throughout the day, so your lips stay moisturized.
Conclusion
You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a visit to the doctor when you can treat angular cheilitis in the comfort of your home. Hopefully, one of the remedies we have listed above has caught your eye, and you can begin your treatment today.