<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

 
Thanks to everyone who responded to my question about home remedies for
Angular Cheilitis, the painful cracks in the corners of the mouth.
 
Quite a number of people said it's from a vitamin B-2 deficiency. Others
said that upon going gluten free the cracks disappeared.
 
Here are some of the comments:
 
try putting calendula ointment on it.  calendula is a marigold extract,
anti 
bacterial and healing that has been in use in eurpoe since the middle
ages. 
get hyland brand either in a tube or jar.   tube costs about 4 dollars
and 
tub around twelve.  make sure you get the ointment not the cream.
 
calendula was recommended by my md...he said to think of it as the 
homeopathic first aid cream.  I've used it on eye infections, ear mites
in 
cats and dogs and surgery cuts as soon as it closed and stitches were 
removed.  md's were stunned at how fast it totally healed.
 
"Although the disease has an unknown
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etiology> etiology, the sores of angular
cheilitis may become infected by the
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungus> fungus
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candida_albicans> Candida albicans
(thrush), or other  <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathogen> pathogens.
Studies have linked the initial onset with nutritional deficiencies,
namely riboflavin (vitamin B2)
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_cheilitis#cite_note-0> [1]
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_cheilitis#cite_note-Lu-1> [2] and
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_deficiency_anemia> iron deficiency
anemia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_cheilitis#cite_note-Lu-1>
[2] which in turn may be evidence of poor diets or malnutrition (e.g.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celiac_disease> celiac disease). Zinc
deficiency has also been associated with angular cheilitis..." 
 
I'm glad you wrote because you gave the condition a name, something I've
not gotten from doctors. Naming things is magic because names give you
the power to look them up on the internet!
 
B vit deficiency is the usual culprit. Specifically Riboflavin but
Niacin is also indicated.
 
1.  It is an indicator of diet variety and balance not necessarily
celiac. Uncontrolled celiac may prevent absorption but there are lot's
of symptoms that will appear before b-vit deficiency. The cracks show up
bi-lateral, meaning they are on both sides.  If only one side it is not
B-Vits.
 
2.  Whole grains are naturally high in b-vits and when milled most is
lost. This is the reason wheat is enriched in the US.  Look for Enriched
GF flours.  Domata Flour blend is fortified.  Google for info. Look for
fortified gluten free foods.  More companies are adding the B's and
iron. I know Enjoy Life Foods fortifies most of their products and many
others are starting.  Labels will have: Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin,
folate or folic acid and iron.
 
3. Dairy products are naturally high in Riboflavin-  if you like liver
it is one of the highest too!  We do not need much. So you may want to
look at your diet to see why this is happening.  
 
 
When I have those cracks I take riboflavin, which is vitamin B-2, 100
mg, one or two for a day or two and the cracks clear up immediately. 
 
This is one problem connected to celiac that I managed to escape having.
I was curious about it after your post so I looked it up online.  Here's
what I found:
 
"Angular cheilitis can be caused by one reason or the other but
basically it is the deficiency of vitamins and other nutritional
deficiencies that is the real culprit. The deficiency of Riboflavin or
Vitamin B-2, Niacin or Vitamin B-3, Pyridoxine or B-6, Cyanocobalamin or
Vitamin B-12 and Anemia i.e. deficiency of iron can create serious
problems by making speaking, eating as well as kissing very difficult. "
 
Sounds like you need to increase the intake of the above supplements and
maybe use a lot of moisturizing chapstick on your lips.  Bert's Bees
makes some good ones that are gluten free.  Hope this helps!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
I don't use a home remedy, but I use a cream called ultraquin and it
really helps with healing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
I remember reading many years ago that those cracks can be caused by a
vitamin B deficiency (specifically riboflavin, which I believe is B2). I
was told to eat yogurt because of it is high in riboflavin.  Since then,
whenever I get those cracks, I eat yogurt and they go away.  It makes
sense to me that someone with celiac would be at risk for vitamin B
deficiency, and that increasing vitamin B would help clear up the
Angular Cheilitus.  At any rate, it's an easy thing to try.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I get those cracks in the mouth from contamination, ususally from
lipstick, also had to change my toothpaste to the Arm &  Hammer with
baking soda & they finally went away. 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks again to everyone for your help,
Diana
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

* Please carefully compose your subject lines in all posts *
Archives are at: Http://Listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?LIST=CELIAC