Dry lips and the resulting cracks are an important problem that can cause a cosmetic defect as well as various infections and other related diseases. Many factors such as the inadequacy of various vitamins and minerals, the use of dental prosthesis, the presence of fungal and many other infections, excessive sunlight exposure, the use of certain drugs can cause dryness on the lips. Initially, the person develops redness and tenderness around the lips, and small sores can be seen in the corners of the mouth. At this stage, if the lip mucosa is not healed with proper care, it dries out completely and in the following period, cracking, splitting and bleeding problems occur in the lips. This situation greatly prevents the person from eating, speaking, and activities of daily living and reduces the quality of life.
What Causes Lip Cracking?
If the problem of lip dryness is not intervened, it causes cracking of the lip mucosa and serious mucosal damage. It is possible to talk about many factors that cause dryness on the lips. While it is caused by mechanical and infectious factors in adulthood, nutritional problems are leading in children. The main factors that cause dryness and cracking of the lips can be listed as follows:
Cold Weather: The lip mucosa has a much more delicate and sensitive structure than normal skin. Therefore, in dry, cold and windy weather conditions, the lip mucosa easily loses its moisture and tends to dry out. Generally, a lip licking reaction develops with the desire to moisturize the lips, and in this case, the wet lips become more dry and cracked as a result of contact with the wind. It is often overlooked that it can cause dryness problems on the lips. It is necessary to moisturize the lips during direct contact with sunlight, especially in summer, and to provide appropriate lip care afterwards.Infection: Oral mucosa is damaged starting from the lips, especially as a result of fungal infection in the mouth. Fungal infection, which can cause dryness, cracking, edema, tenderness and many other findings on the lips, also threatens the physical health of the person. It is an important problem that can be thrown. If left untreated, it can lead to decay of teeth, digestive system problems, and weakening of the immune system as a result of deterioration of intestinal flora. It can be said that many conditions related to nutrition, such as lack of various vitamins and minerals and excessive alcohol use, cause dryness and cracking of the lips. acitretin are the main drugs that cause dry lips. However, some diuretics used in the treatment of diseases such as hypertension, heart failure, liver cirrhosis and diabetes insipidus can also cause dryness and cracking of the lips. Finally, it has been observed that serious cracks develop as a result of the direct contact of the substance called chlorhexidine gluconate, which is contained in some mouthwashes, to the lips. . Commonly used lip balms consist of a mixture of paint solvents such as castor oil, lanolin as a moisturizer, preservatives, perfumes and some dyes in a base of mineral oil and wax. Lanolin, perfume and impure dyes can cause dryness and cracking of the lips as well as an allergic reaction. However, lip balms containing essential oils such as mint, cinnamon and clove are also known to cause cracks in the lips. Finally, substances such as mercury and eugenol, which are used in the field of dentistry, can cause cracks and infection in both the oral mucosa and lips. The problem of drying and cracking of the lips can be caused by many factors, as well as as a result of some diseases. The most widely known of these is undoubtedly diabetes, which is called diabetes mellitus. In the presence of diabetes, the saliva in the mouth thickens and darkens. This leads to the drying of both the oral mucosa and the lip tissue. Diab This condition, which is accepted as one of the first signs of meat disease, causes the person to drink water very often with the desire to moisten the oral mucosa. In addition, it should be known that diuretics used in the treatment of diabetes can cause dryness in the mouth and lips, and lip care should be taken during both the diagnosis and treatment stages of the disease. Apart from this, chapped lips can also be a symptom of various vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Conditions such as riboflavin (vitamin B2), folic acid, zinc, iron deficiency and inadequate protein absorption can lead to dry lips. At the same time, in case of deficiency of vitamin B12, which is associated with iron deficiency, dryness in the mouth, cracked lips, deterioration of the oral mucosa and signs of infection can be observed. Therefore, people who have been diagnosed with anemia should include these vitamins and minerals in their diet, and take care to make the right care and applications for chapped lips. Constant lip dryness and lip cracks that do not go away usually develop as a symptom of other skin diseases. Especially in the presence of actinic cheilitis (tumor precursor dryness of the lips), psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, eczema and a rheumatic disease called Sjögren's syndrome, which causes serious dryness problems in the mouth and eyes, dryness and cracking of the lips are frequently encountered. How is Lip Cracking Treated?
In order to heal lip cracks and prevent their recurrence, first of all, it should be determined whether there is any health problem that causes cracks and they should be treated correctly. If there is no underlying disease, other mechanical factors such as prosthesis use, inadequate oral care, contact with chemical agents should be considered and a treatment plan should be made accordingly. should be applied. While cleaning the cracks, care should be taken not to use chemical agents and the lips should be cleaned gently with clear water. Afterwards, applying moisturizing care with creams with the appropriate content not only helps the existing cracks to heal, but also prevents the development of new cracks.
What's Good for Cracked Lips?
In order to prevent lip cracking and drying, first of all, care should be taken to drink plenty of water and the body's healthy humidity should be maintained. Consumption of more than 2 liters of water per day increases the elasticity of the skin tissue and the skin mucosa becomes stronger. Apart from this, moisturizing care should be applied regularly in order to heal lip cracks, and lips should be carefully protected with care products containing sunscreen factors, especially in extremely hot and extremely cold weather. The presence of cracks in the lips increases the risk of infection in the oral mucosa. Therefore, in this period, care should be taken to apply oral care correctly and at the same time, oral care products that do not cause irritation on the lips should be preferred. Do not forget to share these symptoms with your doctor for the correct care of lip cracks and the diagnosis of the underlying disease, if any!
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