13 Jan What are the mouthpieces?
The mouthpieces, or angular chelitis that is the medical term with which they are known, are small wounds that come out at the corner of the lips, and that produce stinging pain, the patients that most frequently suffer are children and the elderly. These may appear unilaterally, that is, only on one side of the mouth, or bilaterally, which would be on both sides.
One of the most frequently asked questions about this medical condition is whether they are contagious. And the answer, unfortunately, is yes, since this is caused by a fungal or bacterial infectious process. Therefore it is important that if you have angular chelitis, be careful when sharing a glass, cutlery or kissing.
Why do they appear?
These are very annoying and chronic injuries. Its appearance can be caused by several factors:
Poorly fitting dentures
Edentulism: which causes the loss of the vertical dimension of the face.
Accumulation of saliva on the edge of the lips.
Due to the lack of nutrients, such as iron, zinc, or vitamins A, B or C.
HIV patients or patients with diabetes
Another common cause is due to environmental conditions, especially cold in winter, or personal factors such as stress peaks.
Which is the treatment?
The most important thing is to detect what has been the cause of the appearance of the mouthpieces, since its treatment to eradicate it is dedicated to treating the cause that has caused it, not the mouthpieces themselves.
Therefore you must go to the specialist to detect the cause, and thus be able to remedy it. For example, if the cause of the ailment is a poorly fitting prosthesis, you should go to the dentist to adjust it correctly, but in other cases such as lack of nutrients or patients with other diseases you should go to the appropriate specialist to be able to put some solution.
But although the problem must be cured from the root we have some tips to heal the lesions faster:
- Topical or antifungal antiseptic creams
- Avoid rubbing on wounds
- Reduce the intake of acidic foods
At Clínica Blasi we recommend that in the face of the appearance of nozzles, do not hesitate to consult the specialist to remedy and eradicate pain and discomfort.