Have Swelling And Tender Dry Spot Inside Lower Lip. Any Thoughts?

Posted on Fri, 6 Jul 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 6 Jul 2012 Answered on

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : I have a tender dry spot inside my lower lip. There does not appear to be any discoloration, however, it may be slightly swollen. It has been there for about 2 weeks and it seems to come and go, some days it does not bother me and other days it is iritated by my morning coffee. Any thoughts?

Answered by Dr. Naveen (2 hours later)

Hi

Thanks for the query

The tender dry spot you usually notice on the lower lip could be either mucosal inflammation (mucositis) or an aphthous ulcer.

Both the above conditions present in a similar way except in the case of aphthous ulcer there will be slight reddish spot with a white center and both the lesions hurt on taking hot food/beverages.

There are various causes which can give rise to both of the above conditions such as smoking, consuming spicy food, hot beverages, alcohol, trauma to the mucosa while brushing the teeth, etc.

The mainstay of treatment is to avoid those foods which can irritate the mucosa. Drink plenty of water, take vitamins as it helps in faster healing of the lesion, apply glycerin - it keeps the mucosa moist. Also, consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Hope this answers your query; I will be available for the follow-up queries.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Naveen (11 minutes later)

Thank you. How long should I expect this to go on? What are some name brands of glycerin I am not familiar with it?

Answered by Dr. Naveen (19 minutes later)

Hi

Thanks for writing back

This should take at least 3-4days for complete healing. Glycerin is available under the brand names of Osmoglyn and Glycerin. If it does not improve within 3-4 days you can try taking a short course of oral steroids (such as prednisolone or dexamethasone).

Wish you good health.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar