Mouth Problems, Noninjury: Check Your Symptoms

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When to See a Doctor

Do you have cracking, splitting, or chapping at the corners of your mouth or on your lips?

See significance of cracking, splitting, or chapping at the corners of your mouth or on your lips if you need information to help you answer the questions below.

Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your symptoms.

Call your health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.

Yes

Do you have increased mouth or lip pain, swelling, redness, or warmth?

Yes

Is the area around your mouth and lip increasingly tender to the touch?

Yes

Do you have pus draining in or around your mouth or lip?

Yes

Do you know or think you have a fever?

Yes

Do you have cracking or splitting on, around, or near your lips with crusty, honey-colored drainage?

You may wait to see if the symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or specified time period) if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.

Yes

Have you had mild pain and swelling with redness less than around the cracking, splitting, or chapping for 24 hours or longer?

Yes

Have you had swollen glands (lymph nodes) in the neck or under the jaw for 24 hours or longer?

Yes

Do you have painful cracking and splitting that has not improved with 48 hours of home treatment?

Yes

Do you have severely chapped lips that have not improved with 3 to 4 days of home treatment?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Last updated:	September 26, 2008
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Steven K. Patterson, BSc, DDS, MPH - Dentist
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer