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Vitamin Deficiency That Causes the Corners Of the Mouth to Crack

B-complex vitamins play a variety of roles in your health, and insufficient amounts of these vitamins in the diet can lead to symptoms like dry mouth, cracked or split lips, and cracks in the corners of your mouth. Vitamin B deficiencies can be treated by incorporating the right foods into your diet or by using the oral or injection-based supplements that are available.

B Vitamins and Oral Health

According to an August 2017 study in the Journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, several B-complex vitamins are vital to your oral health. When you're deficient in vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and/or B12, you may experience various oral problems, ranging from cracked lips to tongue inflammation or even ulcers in your mouth.

B-complex vitamins are usually found in the same foods and have overlapping roles in your health. This means that a deficiency in any single B-complex vitamin is likely to be accompanied by deficiencies in other B vitamins. There are eight essential vitamins that make up the B-complex family. According to the Food and Drug Administration, most people need to consume the following amounts of B-complex vitamins on a daily basis:

1.5 milligrams of thiamin (vitamin B1)

1.7 milligrams of riboflavin (vitamin B2)

20 milligrams of niacin (vitamin B3)

10 milligrams of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)

2 milligrams of vitamin B6

300 micrograms of biotin (vitamin B7)

400 micrograms of folate (vitamin B9)

6 micrograms of vitamin B12

There are four other B-complex vitamins (B4, B8, B10 and B11) as well, but they aren't considered to be essential nutrients that you need to consume on a daily basis to stay healthy.

Cracked and Split Lips

A deficiency in vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B12 is known to cause cracks in the corners of the mouth. This condition is specifically known as angular cheilitis (_also called _angular cheilosis, angular stomatitis or perlèche), and is essentially an inflammation of the lips.

People who experience this condition will have dry, red lips that crack on one or both sides of the mouth. These cracks may be itchy and painful; they may form white scabs and even bleed. When angular cheilitis occurs over a long period of time, it can cause an infection.

Vitamin B deficiency and cracked lips that occur around your mouth (not just on the sides) are primarily due to lack of vitamin B1. If you have cracked lips for long periods of time, you may also experience a split lip in which one of the cracks breaks completely and begins to bleed.

While long-term treatment for this requires resolving the vitamin deficiency, more immediate treatment typically involves applying soothing ointments, like petroleum jelly, coconut oil or medicated lip balms.

Of course, cracked and split lips aren't just caused by vitamin deficiencies. They may occur for a variety of reasons, such as exposure to cold weather or bacterial or fungal infections. In many cases, cracked and split lips will go away on their own. However, if you suspect that you have an infection or that a vitamin B deficiency is causing cracked lips, you should consult your physician.

Getting Enough Dietary Vitamin B

You can find B-complex vitamins in a variety of foods that come from both plant-based and animal products. If you're experiencing cracked lips or other oral symptoms of vitamin B deficiency, you can find thiamin (vitamin B1) in:

Enriched grains and whole grains

Legumes

Nuts

Meat products, particularly those made with pork

You can find riboflavin (vitamin B2) in:

Eggs

Enriched grains

Meat products

Milk products

Seafood

Spinach

You can find niacin (vitamin B3) in:

Beans

Enriched grains and whole grains

Meat products

Nuts

Seafood

You can find vitamin B12 in:

Dairy products

Eggs

Fortified cereals

Meat products

Seafood

Seaweed (but only certain types)

These vitamins are important because they support the function of red blood cell formation, the nervous system and the gastrointestinal system; they also help convert food into energy.

If you aren't able to obtain enough essential nutrients in your diet, your doctor may recommend that you take supplements. If your deficiency is particularly severe, your doctor may even recommend an injectable version of certain B vitamin supplements.

(08/07/2021)
by Siddhi Camila Lama, MS, PhD, CNC, CPT

More Information: https://www.livestrong.com/article/409132-the-vitamin-deficiency-that-causes-the-corners-of-the-mouth-to-crack/

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