Angular cheilitis, also known as "cracked corners of the mouth," not only affects appearance but also makes it difficult for children to eat and brush their teeth. Angular cheilitis is a condition characterized by moist white skin and mucous membranes, exudation, erosion, crusting, and fissuring in the symmetrical corners of the mouth. This condition falls under the category of "oral ulcers" in medicine.
It is mostly caused by deficiency of the spleen and stomach, as well as invasion of wind, dampness, and heat evils, which attack the corners of the mouth and cause the disease to occur.
I. Symptoms of Angular Cheilitis:
In children, the corners of the mouth on both sides are chronically eroded, damp, and pale, and sometimes fissures appear. Due to frequent opening and closing of the mouth, the eroded corners of the mouth heal and then rupture again. The repeated healing and rupturing cause local tissue swelling and thickening. Sometimes, even though scabs form, they soon fall off and expose the eroded area again. Some children also have glossitis and cheilitis.
II. Self-Testing Tips for Angular Cheilitis:
As long as there are erosions, paleness, and fissures in the corners of the mouth on both sides of the child, it indicates the presence of angular cheilitis.
III. Self-Treatment Methods for Angular Cheilitis:
1. Correcting bad habits
Children should be educated not to lick the corners of their mouths. They should not bite their fingers or pencil erasers, as these bad habits can worsen or cause a recurrence of the condition. In addition, when brushing teeth, attention should be paid to not touching the affected mucous membranes.
2. Diet
The variety of food in a child's diet should be diversified, with a mix of coarse and fine foods. In addition to ensuring the supply of milk, eggs, and lean meat every day, an appropriate amount of fruits and fresh vegetables should also be consumed. To avoid damaging the affected mucous membranes, children should avoid eating dry and hard foods.
3. Vitamins
Long-term oral intake of riboflavin has been found to be effective in reducing symptoms. The dosage is 5 mg per dose, taken orally three times a day. Children with the condition can also simultaneously take complex B vitamins, vitamin B, and niacin.
4. Topical medication
Applying medication to the corners of the mouth can alleviate local symptoms. Commonly used medications include erythromycin ointment, chloramphenicol eye ointment, ice borax powder, tin powder, and 1% Gentian violet.
IV. Misconceptions in Self-Treatment of Angular Cheilitis:
1. When scabs form at the corners of the mouth, they should not be touched with hands. They should be allowed to fall off and heal on their own.
2. Children should avoid eating a monotonous diet and should not be picky eaters.
V. Prevention of Angular Cheilitis:
1. To prevent "cracked corners of the mouth" in babies, it is important to educate children not to be picky eaters or have selective eating habits.
First, overcome the child's picky eating habits and encourage them to eat foods rich in riboflavin, vegetables, and fruits, such as coarse grains, soybeans, adzuki beans, mung beans, soy products, animal liver, milk, fish, jujubes, radishes, cabbage, tomatoes, spinach, cauliflower, pumpkin, apples, bananas, pears, and more. In addition, pay attention to supplementing foods rich in vitamins (especially B vitamins) and minerals, such as animal liver, lean meat, poultry eggs, milk, soy products, carrots, and fresh leafy vegetables. At the same time, drink plenty of water to facilitate the rapid elimination of toxins from the body and maintain a healthy state. Pay attention to oral hygiene: children should rinse their mouths after meals and not eat or drink milk before bedtime to prevent food residue from remaining in the mouth and promoting bacterial growth.
2. Protect the facial skin and keep the lips clean and hygienic. Pay attention to cleaning the lips after eating.
When the lips become dry, applying a small amount of glycerin, ointment, or edible oil can prevent dryness and cracking. Avoid using the tongue to lick the lips. If the tongue is used to lick the lips, sodium chloride, amylase, lysozyme, and other substances in saliva will remain in the corners of the mouth, creating a high osmotic environment and causing local dryness, leading to erosion.
3. Zinc supplementation for the treatment of angular cheilitis. Increasing the body's zinc content through zinc supplementation allows for sufficient zinc participation in the body's metabolism, effectively treating angular cheilitis. For children, daily zinc supplementation should mainly be in the form of zinc supplements. Additionally, foods rich in zinc, such as oysters, eggs, lean meat, and animal liver, can be consumed in appropriate amounts.
