The repercussions of angular cheilitis can be quite bad, especially if you're the one suffering from it. The disease is serious enough that it even has more than one name. It's known as angular stomatitis, perleche or angular cheilosis.

It doesn't matter what name you decide to use for this disease, you still need to treat it if you want it to go away. If you want the official definition, then it's a lesion that is inflammatory, on the labial commissure, at the mouth's corner, which in most cases will show up on both sides. You can recognize it by the splits and deep cracks it provokes, which will sometimes bleed if the mouth opens. You might also see a crust formed there or some shallow ulcers.

This disease doesn't have a sure cause why it appears, though sometimes when it shows up, it will get infected with the fungus called Candida albicans, or with thrush. According to some medical studies, this disease might be appearing when the patient has a deficiency, like the lack of iron or vitamin B. This vitamin deficiency appears because of malnutrition or because of a poor diet. Zinc is another substance that can influence this disease, when it's missing from the system.

In most cases, people that get angular cheilitis are either kids or old people. Since older people lose teeth, when they over close the mouth bacteria will gather in the lips corners. From there, the bacteria proliferate and angular cheilitis shows up. Another possible cause for this disease in old people is the use of dentures that don't fit well, so they provoke the mouth's overclosure.

The cases that are less severe will show up in the winter or when there are some cold spells, and they look like chapped lips. Teenagers and younger kids don't usually get this condition. You shouldn't lick the lips, because it will worsen the problem, even though it gives some relief temporarily. Another possible cause for this disease can be a fungal infection, bacteria or some harsh medications.

Everyone uses their lips and their mouth, all the time during the day. We use them when we drink a beverage, when we eat something, when we talk with a colleague or with friends, when we kiss someone or when we change the expressions on our face. We all take our lips for granted, and then we have problems and realize that we need to take care of them better. It's not a nice disease, so take care of your lips.