What Causes Cracks at the Corners of the Mouth?
Disease description:
I noticed pain when opening my mouth during lunch today, and upon checking in the mirror, I found that the corners of my mouth were cracked. What could be causing this?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Huang Lingjuan
Cracked corners of the mouth may result from poor habits—such as frequent lip-licking—which can deplete the sebum secreted by the sebaceous glands on the lips. This problem tends to worsen during the dry autumn and winter months. Applying lip balm regularly and correcting these harmful habits can help. Alternatively, this symptom may indicate angular cheilitis, in which case topical medications—such as chlortetracycline ointment or tetracycline ointment—may be prescribed under a physician’s guidance.
