7 main causes of swollen lips and what to do

Main causes of Swollen lips are usually a sign of allergy, appearing mainly up to 2 hours after ingesting medicines or foods that can cause allergic reactions, such as peanuts, shellfish, eggs, or soybeans.

However, having a swollen mouth can also indicate other health problems such as the presence of a cold sore, dry and burned lips, a mucocele, or other inflammation on the lips. When the swelling lasts more than 3 days or is accompanied by other symptoms such as respiratory distress, it is recommended to consult a general practitioner or pediatrician, or to go to the emergency department immediately in case of difficulty breathing.

In some cases, placing an ice cube wrapped in a cloth on the swollen lips could help them to deflate, however, in those situations where the cause is allergic, the doctor could indicate the use of anti-allergy drugs. 

1. Allergies

Food allergy is the main cause of a swollen mouth and lips and generally appears up to 2 hours after eating food, and may also be accompanied by a cough, a sensation of having something in the throat, difficulty breathing or redness on the face. However, other types of allergies can also be the cause of lip swelling, such as allergies due to ingestion of drugs, plants, or even being hereditary, such as angioedema.

What to do : the treatment is generally done with the use of antiallergic tablets such as Cetirizine or Desloratadine, prescribed by the general practitioner. In case of great difficulty in breathing, you should go immediately to the hospital emergency or call an ambulance. In addition to this, it is advisable to carry out an allergy test to evaluate what type of substances a reaction occurs to prevent it from reoccurring.

2. Herpes and other infections of the mouth

Herpes infection in the mouth can cause a swelling of the upper or lower lip, accompanied by a lesion with small blisters, in addition to a tingling or numbness at the site. However, other infections such as candidiasis can also cause swelling of the mouth, especially when the lips are chapped, which increases the proliferation of many microorganisms, causing redness around the lips, fever and pain.

What to do: it is necessary to consult a general practitioner to assess the problem and identify the microorganism that is causing the infection, to start treatment with ointments or tablets. In the case of herpes, it may be necessary to use antiviral ointments and tablets such as acyclovir, and anti-inflammatory or analgesic tablets such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, can also be used to relieve symptoms of pain and sensitivity in the mouth.

3. Dry or burned lips

Sunburn, hot food, or acidic foods like lemon or pineapple can cause the lips to swell for about 1 or 2 days, accompanied by pain, burning, and discoloration at the site.

What to do: apply cold compresses to the lips to reduce swelling and apply moisturizer, cocoa butter or petroleum jelly when the lips are dry or burned.

4. Mucocele

Mucocele is a type of cyst that causes a small swelling to appear in the mouth after lip biting or after blows, for example, due to the accumulation of saliva within the inflamed salivary gland.

What to do: usually the mucocele disappears without any type of treatment after 1 or 2 weeks, however, when it increases in size or delays in disappearing, it is advisable to go to the ENT doctor to evaluate and drain the cyst and accelerate the treatment.

5. Mouth abscesses

Inflammations in the teeth, due to cavities or dental abscesses, cause swelling of the gums, which can extend to the lips. In this case, the person feels a lot of pain around the inflamed tooth, which can be accompanied by bleeding, a bad smell in the mouth and even a fever. The lips can also suffer inflammation caused by pimples, folliculitis or some trauma, which can arise suddenly or also by the use of appliances.

READ ALSO: Mucocele: what is it, symptoms and how to treat it

 

What to do: in case of inflammation in the teeth, the dentist should be sought to treat the inflammation with analgesic drugs, antibiotics or, if necessary, a dental surgical procedure. To relieve inflammation on the lips, a warm compress should be placed, and anti-inflammatory tablets such as ibuprofen, prescribed by the general practitioner, can be used to relieve pain and swelling.

6. Fall, injury or contusion 

A fall can cause an injury to the mouth, which can also occur in a car accident, which can leave the mouth swollen for a few days until the injured tissues fully recover. Normally the area feels very sore and the skin can be left with red or reddish marks, sometimes the teeth can hurt the lips causing a cut, which is very common in children who are learning to walk or who are already running and playing to the ball with friends.

What to do: cold compresses and cold chamomile sachets can be applied directly to swollen lips, which can help reduce inflammation in the region in a few minutes. It should be used 2 to 3 times a day.  

7. Impetus

Impetigo can also swell the mouth, but there is always a crusty wound on the lip or near the nose. This is a common infection in childhood, and it is easily transmitted from one child to another, and it should always be evaluated by the pediatrician.

What to do: you should see a doctor so that he can confirm if it really is impetigo and indicate the use of an antibiotic ointment. In addition to this, some important care is necessary, such as not removing the scab from the lesion, keeping the region always clean, bathing daily and applying the medicine immediately afterwards

Other possible causes

In addition to those mentioned above, there are other causes that can cause inflammation of the mouth such as:

• Insect bite;

• Use of braces on the teeth;

• Spicy foods;

• Preeclampsia during pregnancy;

• Inflamed piercing.

• Ulcers in the mouth;

• Angular or mouth cheilitis.

• Oral cancer;

• Heart, liver or kidney failure.

Therefore, it is important to seek medical help if this symptom is present and you cannot identify the reason.

When to see a doctor

It is recommended to consult a general practitioner when the swelling on the lips:

• If it takes more than 3 days to disappear;

• Causes shortness of breath;

• It arises with other symptoms such as fever above 38ºC or difficulty swallowing;

• It is accompanied by swelling on the entire face or elsewhere on the body.

In these cases, the doctor may do blood tests and allergy tests to identify the cause of the swollen mouth, initiating the most appropriate treatment for each cause.