Among the many diseases affecting the lips, cheilitis is not the last place. Pathology is most often diagnosed in people aged 50 to 60 years. There are several varieties of it. In today's article, we will focus on glandular cheilitis in more detail.
Disease Description
Glandular cheilitis is a dental disease. It is commonly understood as congenital or acquired pathology in the structure of the salivary glands. As a result of the changes, the secretion is produced in excess. The abnormal process, as a rule, extends only to the lower lip.
Men suffer from the manifestations of the disease 2 times more often than the fair sex. The risk of its development increases with poor hygiene, the presence of active foci of inflammation in the mouth, in smokers. The lack of timely treatment can lead to the transformation of pathology into a malignant process.
Varieties of ailment
In medical practice, it is customary to distinguish two types of ailment:
- Primary form. It occurs as an independent disease. Red dots form on the surface of the lips with dilated ducts, over which saliva accumulates.
- Secondary form. It is a consequence of other health problems. The clinical picture is complemented by swelling of the lips and painful sensations when touched. Drops of saliva with impurities of pus may appear on the mucosa. The mouth remains ajar.
Main reasons
Primary glandular cheilitis is a consequence of the congenital pathology of the salivary glands. If parents already had to deal with this disease, the probability of recurrence in children is almost 100%. However, the primary symptoms appear in patients only after 20 years.
The secondary form can develop as a complication of the following diseases:
- systemic lupus erythematosus;
- lichen planus;
- leukoplakia.
Constant irritation of the oral mucosa accompanies the course of these ailments. The result is the growth of glandular tissue, increased secretion. The risk of secondary cheilitis increases with chronic pathologies of the oral cavity (periodontitis, periodontal disease), improperly sized dentures.
Clinical picture
Symptoms of glandular cheilitis are difficult to confuse with other diseases. It begins its development with the appearance of red dots on the border of the lips. This is the mouth of the salivary gland affected by the disease. If the lips are gently wet with a napkin, after a while, droplets of secret will come out at this place. This is due to increased production of saliva. The lips are constantly moisturized, but due to evaporation of the liquid, the skin begins to crack and peel.
In some patients, the clinical picture is associated with severe itching. The skin looks keratinized and unhealthy, with time a characteristic crust on the lips appears. Around the mouth of the salivary glands, whitish formations may appear - foci of leukoplakia.
The purulent form of cheilitis or Volkman's disease manifests itself most typically. The lips first swell, become sensitive, then severe pain appears. On examination, the skin looks thinned. The epithelium is covered by multiple purulent foci. On palpation, densified salivary glands are well defined. After pressing, secretion with impurities of pus is observed. The complicated course of Volkman cheilitis is expressed by symptoms of general intoxication of the body, an increase in submandibular lymph nodes.
Diagnostic Methods
The disease has a characteristic clinical picture. However, to confirm the preliminary diagnosis, patients are prescribed a salivary gland biopsy followed by histological examination. The resulting material is studied in laboratory conditions. With glandular cheilitis, hypertrophy of the salivary glands is detected simultaneously with inflammatory infiltrate in the ducts. Some patients have no changes in the epithelial tissue, while others show acanthosis (hyperpigmentation of the skin).
Conservative treatment
Conservative therapy of the disease is carried out in two stages. First, the patient is prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs, which are used in the form of applications with emulsions and ointments. In parallel, the treatment of concomitant ailments is carried out. Also make applications with enzymes ("Lysozyme", "Himopsin"). Compress is placed on the affected area for 15 minutes once a day. Various sprays are used to irrigate the lips. The most effective are the following: Panthenol, Livian. The procedure is recommended to be repeated up to four times a day, and the duration of one should be about 25 minutes.
In the second stage, when the disease takes on a purulent form, they resort to electrocoagulation or surgical intervention. Also shown is the use of antibacterial agents. In more detail about these methods of treatment will be described below.
Regardless of the form of the disease, vascular preparations are prescribed to all patients to improve overall well-being. One of these is Vinpocetine. Instructions for use and price are the main issues that concern patients. This drug is indicated for impaired behavior or other personal qualities, sleep disturbance and mood. Its action is aimed at relaxing the walls of blood vessels, improving blood circulation and its rheological properties.
Application begins with the introduction of a solution intravenously. After the patient's condition improves, he is transferred to tablets. This is exactly what the instructions for use with Vinpocetine advise. The price of the drug varies from 70 to 300 rubles for 50 tablets, depending on the country of manufacture.
Also, complex therapy involves the appointment of tranquilizers and sedatives ("Phenazepam"), vitamin and mineral complexes. All patients need to review oral hygiene care, abandon addiction.
Provided timely detection of cheilitis and proper treatment, the prognosis for recovery is favorable. Otherwise, the risk of developing a squamous cell carcinoma increases.
Surgical intervention
The most reliable treatment for glandular cheilitis is recognized as electrocoagulation. During the procedure, a wax electrode is used, which is injected directly into the salivary gland. The use of superficial coagulation can lead to a retention cyst.
If during the diagnosis a large number of pathological lesions are detected in the patient, their excision is recommended. During the operation, an oval incision is made along the Klein line. Then hypertrophic tissue is husked, and then catgut sutures are applied. Surgical intervention is performed using anesthesia, so the procedure itself is painless.
What is the disease dangerous?
Cheilitis is a rather unpleasant disease, the manifestations of which worsen the quality of human life. In addition to the painful sensations that appear due to cracks in the skin, cosmetic problems arise. The face becomes outwardly unattractive, and the crusts and pus discharge on the lips look repulsive.
Cheilitis is not a precancerous disease. However, in the absence of treatment or exposure to adverse factors, malignant degeneration of soft tissues and the development of leukoplakia are possible. Therefore, ignoring the initial symptoms of inflammation is undesirable.
Prevention Methods
It is not possible to prevent the appearance of the primary form of the disease. When a child is born, he already has some abnormalities of the salivary glands.
The history of glandular cheilitis in most patients with a secondary form suggests that pathology can be avoided. Its prevention is reduced to proper hygiene and oral care, timely treatment of dental ailments and other problems.
Conclusion
Glandular cheilitis is a fairly serious disease. It is characterized by pathological changes in the salivary glands, which is accompanied by increased secretion production and other unpleasant symptoms. The disease can take two forms: congenital and acquired. It is impossible to prevent the occurrence of the first.
Acquired is well amenable to conservative therapy. In especially serious cases, surgical intervention is required. The lack of therapy and neglect of the initial symptoms of the pathology can lead to the development of leukoplakia, a malignant process.