Doctor reveals what it means if you have cracks around the corners of your mouth
We've all suffered from cracked lips, right? Not to name any names, but some of us might have literally just applied some lovely cocoa butter-based lip balm to combat the issue. Who? We'll never know.
There are plenty worse conditions to have than cracks on your lips and elsewhere on your skin – you could need your jaw completely reconstructed, for instance – but it can still be awkward, annoying and even agonising.
Never be caught out without Vaseline, you never know when dry lips could strike.
The condition of specific painful, cracked sores in the corner of the mouth is actually called angular cheilitis.
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According to the Cleveland Clinic, it's a 'common inflammatory skin condition' which "affects one or both corners of your mouth and causes irritated, cracked sores."
Thankfully, though it can certainly feel like it when the pain just won't go away, it isn't usually serious and can typically be cured with ointments or medication.
Though often mistaken for them, it is not a contagious condition like cold sores.
The cause of cracks in the corner of your mouth
The Cleveland Clinic explains it's caused when saliva builds up in the corners of your mouth and leads to dryness, which left untreated can lead to angular cheilitis.
However, Dr. Eric Berg DC, an expert on healthy eating and losing weight, says in a video on his YouTube channel that cracks in the corner of your mouth can also be caused by a B2 deficiency.
B2 is a vitamin, also known as riboflavin, which helps keep the body's skin, eyes and nervous system healthy, while also aiding the body extract energy from food and nutrients.
An average adult male needs 1.3mg B2 a day, while an adult female needs 1.1mg, according to the NHS.
You should be able to get sufficient B2 from your diet, but milk, eggs, mushrooms, plain yoghurt and fortified breakfast cereals are all named as good sources of it.
So maybe some of who have just applied a lovely cocoa butter-based lip balm to combat the issue should go and eat a big mushroom omelette.
Dr. Berg also gave explanations as to what causes a raft of further minor yet occasionally irritating ailments.
Going through a lengthy list, here's each condition and the nutrient deficiency that causes it:
- Pale skin = B12
- Ridges on fingernail = Iron
- White spots on finger nails = Zinc
- Bleeding gums = Vitamin C
- Thinning eyebrows, especially on the outer third = Iodine
- Restless leg syndrome at night = Magnesium
- Calf cramping = Magnesium
- Thinning hair = Biotin
- Cold hands and feet = B12
- Dark circles under eyes = Iron or Vitamin K
- Craving ice = Iron
- Dandruff = Omega 3
Make sure you're all vitamined up.
Topics: Health
Daniel Murphy