My mouth is SO painful!

[Noodge]

Since around mid-march my lips have become suddenly cracked, dry almost as if they've been burnt. It hurts to open my mouth wide, to eat, drink-hot drinks are agonising.

I also have a random what looks like a cold sore but isn't, in the corner of my mouth, and two white spots on the tip of my tongue. I also have what i thought was a blocked salivary gland but it isn't, according to my dentist- I went to the dentist yesterday and he did two X rays (normal one then a more thorough one) to see if any signs of infection or other signs and nothing. But there's a lump just on my jawbone, quite hard, not fixed, moves about if I touch it and it is slighly painful.

Any idea what the lump could be, and any idea what I can do to help my lips heal? I have no idea what has caused all the soreness, ulcers on my tongue (if that's what they are!) or any of it-never happened before! I've been using petroleum jelly for my lips but seconds after I apply it, they've soaked it up. Constantly dabbing it on-they must be so dry!

TIA.

Petroleum jelly might not be the best thing to use. Could you order some Reve de Miel by Nuxe? It’s the best thing I’ve found for sore cracked lips.

I also think a GP appointment is in order if that’s possible where you are.

? Angular chelitis. Responds to anti fungal creams.

Have you been checked for Coeliac disease? Mouth ulcers can be a sign of it (it’s a whole body autoimmune disorder- you don’t necessarily get bowel symptoms).

https://www.coeliac.org.uk/information-and-support/coeliac-disease/

Thank you-I've been using nivea too and lip balm, nothing seems to have worked yet-will order some now.

I went to the GP about the lump but stupidly didn't mention anything else. I will go back.

Thank you, I'll look at that.

Going to go and put some on it now! I have some, I am sure I have

Aveeno cream works absolute wonders when my hands get chapped.
I do use it on my lips too. It's great and has no taste. It will soak in immediately.
Just keep reapplying.

I've currently got thrush cream on my lips-well I did have, it all soaked in straight away!

Lansinoh nipple cream is amazing for cracked lips! I got advised to use this as lipbalm during a breastfeeding class and it really works (I think the same brand actually do a lip balm too).

Thank you for all the recommendations. I know it is not a 'serious' thing but I am sick of being in pain all the time now. They sting like mad constantly and anything coming into contact with them just makes it worse.

My sister had this thing where all around her lips were red, dry and flaky, imagine like the Joker kind of thing. Turned out it was an auto immune thing, caused by a virus and stress. Had antibiotics and steroids for it and eventually cleared up.

Thank you-I am going to go back to the GP. I will ring them on my next day off. This is SO annoying. I ignored it at first, assumed I had burnt myself on some hot sauce (which I do eat a lot of) or such. Thought it would go away and although my lips aren't quite as cracked as back in March, they're still very painful and the lump, ulcers and cut/sore on my mouth are new 😓

For your lips, try epaderm ointment!! Don’t mess about with the cream - def the ointment. We call it magic in our house!!

I should add that my lovely dentist was very thorough yesterday and explained the X-ray to me really well, absolutely no sign of infection in my mouth at all. He said the lump doesn't look to be anything sinister but referred me to a specialist anyway.

Could you have a B12 deficiency? Or do you use a toothpaste with sodium laureth sulphate?

I was checked for vitamin deficiencies a year or so ago (just because I was feeling a bit under the weather) and nothing wrong then, but I could ask again. I am a vegan but I have been tested for B12 several times and always been okay.

I'll have to check my toothpaste! What's the connection there please?

I don’t know what the connection with toothpaste is exactly but my mouth is a lot better when I use ‘ calm ‘ toothpaste
normally around £5 but can often get it in special offer for £2.50
also how is your iron , low iron can cause cracks and sites at the corners of your lips

You may have been fine last year when tested for vitamin deficiencies but presumably you didn't have the problems you're having now, so it could be a vitamin deficiency that's started recently. I have that as my bowel doesn't absorb things properly.

Get bloods done to rule it out.

Ouch, I’ve had that too…so painful! It’s angular chelitis. It either needs a steroid or anti fungal cream depending on the cause (can be due to a number of things) or if it gets really bad and blisters an anti bacterial cream. I also had blood tests and turned out I was low on iron. I would see your GP if anti fungal cream doesn’t clear it up

Ask HP for Fusidin Ointment not the cream. Wash and dry your lips then apply a thin layer of Fusidin. It is an antibacterial and because it is oil based it acts as a barrier cream. A thick layer just causes sweating and makes it worse.
Underlying cause is likely to be VitB deficiency or low iron. So try a supplement.
When you are lacking in some minerals/vitamins you skin cells don’t bond together well and areas where the skin is stretch can split. Once you have a split it becomes macerated from saliva wicking along the split from the wet side of the lip. Using a barrier cream waterproofs the split so if doesn’t become sodden.

Yes to fucidin.

I had a similar sort of reaction on my lips as a result of eating pineapple

Have you asked the dentist about oral lichen planus? A friend of mine had it and some of your symptoms sound similar, it’s an autoimmune condition.

This was me recently with the sore lips at the corners. It has happened to me before when I am run down and iron deficient. I forget to take my spatone iron drinks (with fresh orange juice). I am supposed to have 2 a day plus 1 berroca, a multi vitamin and quality red meat once a week. I do this and it's sorted in a few days. I also use 8 hour cream at the corners.

Could be a blocked or twisted parotid gland. Easily treated if it is this!

Thank you again-just a question, would a steroid cream help with the cuts on my lips? It helped with the cuts on my 'other' lips too much information😂