Oral Dermatitis - Causes, Symptoms And Treatment Of Oral Dermatitis In Children

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Oral dermatitis

Causes, symptoms and treatment of oral dermatitis

Content: Description of the disease Oral dermatitis symptoms Causes of oral dermatitis Oral dermatitis in children Treatment for oral dermatitis One of the most difficult and at the same time important problems of modern medicine is diseases of the skin and its appendages. And this is no coincidence. After all, the human skin is one of the most mysterious structures of the body. They are characterized by a special structure, regulatory mechanisms and many important functions. One of them is to provide an aesthetic appearance, which cannot but be relevant for modern society. Especially for the female half. But the world around us is not entirely friendly towards the human body, constantly presenting insidious surprises. It is the skin, as one of the barriers, that is the first to participate in the process of protecting and delimiting vital systems and organs from harmful environmental agents. Of course, the main blow of external aggression falls precisely on it. This is how various dermatological diseases arise, one of which is oral dermatitis.

Description of the disease

Oral dermatitis is a pathological process, the mechanism of which is an inflammatory lesion of the skin around the mouth, chin and adjacent areas of the face, manifested by papular-spotty rashes. The definition is so simple and straightforward that it would seem to reveal all information about this disease, excluding any relevance of its further description. But this is far from the case. After all, there are a lot of different skin lesions in this area or other, more complex processes in which such dermatitis is only a small symptom, can be characterized in exactly the same way. This fact becomes the reason why it is advisable to describe the foundations of the development and diagnostic criteria for this disease.

Another important point in the definition of this type of dermatitis and the separation of concepts is the presence of its other names. In the medical community, it is called oral dermatitis, which is the correct term. But given the fact that in everyday life the disease is called oral dermatitis, this material was written taking into account the terminology of ordinary people.

Oral dermatitis symptoms

The clinical picture of the disease is quite vivid and specific. But in order not to miss other types of dermatitis, it must be clearly systematized. The symptoms of oral dermatitis are limited exclusively to local manifestations. There are no general reactions of the body. The main symptom is rashes. They have clear features that are characteristic only of this process.

1. Localization. Fits around the mouth and lips. A specific criterion is the presence between the red border of the lip and the beginning of the rash zone, a clear whitish strip of unchanged skin.
2. Prevalence. In addition to the perioral area, rashes can spread to the chin, nasolabial triangle and to the sides of the corners of the mouth. They never occur in more distant areas.
3. Amount. At the beginning of dermatitis, separate elements of the rash appear on the chin in the form of single papules (pimples.) In case of progression of the process, their expansion occurs. They begin to appear simultaneously in all areas, grouping into islet formations.
4. Character. This is perhaps the most central feature on which the verification of the diagnosis is based. The rashes are characterized by relative polymorphism (they consist of many elements.) The primary ones are maculopapular, in the form of small pimples, slightly rising above the surface of the skin. They can be filled at the top with a small amount of clear liquid. Over time, they turn into crusts and peeling of the skin.

5. Color and size. The papules themselves are whitish, located against a background of red spots. The diameter of the former does not exceed 2-3 mm; the latter can spread in the form of stripes merging with each other without clear boundaries.
6. Associated Processes. They occur in the case of an aggressive course of oral dermatitis or inadequate treatment. They manifest themselves in the form of the development of pustular skin lesions, its irritation, weeping with aggravation of inflammatory changes.

Causes of oral dermatitis

Modern science has not been able to establish clear etiological (causal) factors of this disease. But the research carried out clearly established logical facts.

• Mostly women are ill, in connection with which they are at risk.
• The history is almost always burdened by the simultaneous use of several types of cosmetic products for skin care (tonal, moisturizing creams, scrubs, etc.)

• Long-term use of ointments based on glucocorticoid hormones, especially fluorinated compounds (fluorocort, flucinar.) As a result, an immune imbalance occurs, which inevitably leads to the colonization of pathogenic microflora on the surface of thinned skin. This refers to the side effects of these dosage forms. Interestingly, oral dermatitis occurs after abrupt cessation of application.
• General immune disorders, manifested by allergic reactions and autoimmune processes in the body. As a rule, such patients are prone to oral dermatitis.
• Diseases of the digestive system and its dysfunction. They are noted in 37% of patients.

All these facts indicate that oral dermatitis is a polyetiological (multifactorial) disease, which is based on an infectious process against the background of a violation of local protective reactions of the skin.

Oral dermatitis in children

In the structure of the overall morbidity for this pathology, pediatric patients account for no more than 5-7%. This is due to the fact that children do not use cosmetic and hormonal ointments. The exception is adolescents. This age group is prone to oral dermatitis for the following reasons:

• hormonal changes in the body, which are often accompanied by a violation of the structure of the skin and its functioning;
• frequent development of various variants of pustular lesions of the skin of the face, which requires the use of hormonal ointments;
• immune imbalance in a growing body;
• hypovitaminosis caused by an increased need for nutrients.

There were no differences in the clinical course of oral dermatitis in children and adults.

Treatment for oral dermatitis

Despite the fact that no clear causes of the disease have been identified, long-term efforts and observations still managed to achieve good results in its treatment. The most important secret is an extremely comprehensive approach, which includes:

• rejection of all types of cosmetics at the time of exacerbation of the process. The duration of this event is several weeks, perhaps even months. The skin must rest and regain its new structure;
• a categorical refusal to use hormone-containing ointments on the skin of the face. But still, if it happens that the patient is already using them, they cannot be abruptly canceled. This is inevitably the strongest exacerbation of the inflammatory process. It is necessary to gradually reduce the number and frequency of their application;
• diet therapy. Nutrition must be correct in all respects. Fried, smoked, spicy foods and spices are excluded. Food should be more vegetable, high in vitamins and cooked in a boiled form;
• antihistamines (suprastin, loratadine, L-cet.) Thanks to their action, a decrease in puffiness and puffiness of the face is achieved.
• antibacterial drugs. Despite the fact that the causative agents that are most often detected in the area of inflammation are the coccal flora (staphylococci and streptococci), there was no more effective antibiotic than metronidazole. It is used in tablets. The duration of therapy is several weeks.
• local therapy with local ointments based on metronidazole. A very good result was noticed against the background of their application. As for the local application of glucocorticoids, they should not be used, except for a strong exacerbation of oral dermatitis against the background of a sudden withdrawal syndrome.
• skin treatment with aqueous solutions of antiseptics (chlorhexidine, dekasan) in case of secondary complications of an infectious nature.

Only such an approach to the correctness of therapeutic measures for oral dermatitis can help get rid of this unwanted guest forever.

Take care of your skin and then it will take care of you!

The author of the article: Kuzmina Vera Valerievna | Endocrinologist, nutritionist

Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after NI Pirogov with a degree in General Medicine (2004). Residency at Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, diploma in Endocrinology (2006).