dental disorders
Lip Swelling
Introduction
Spontaneous (ie, nontraumatic) lip swelling is usually painless. Itching may or may not be present. Cheilitis (lip inflammation) sometimes causes lip swelling, but patients typically present because of the painful inflammation and lesions. By itself, lip swelling is not dangerous. However, when lip swelling is caused by Angioedema , concurrent swelling in the oropharynx and/or lower airways can be fatal. Lip swelling may be acute or chronic. Acute lip swellingmay be caused by Allergic reactions (eg, to foods, drugs, lipstick, airborne irritants, nickel) Environmental factors (eg, cold and dry weather, Sunburn ) Hereditary and Acquired Angioedema None Nonallergic drug causes (eg, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors , Chronic lip swellingmay occur with Gigantism and Acromegaly (often with coarsened facial features and/or enlarged tongue) Hypothyroidism (often with facial puffiness and/or enlarged tongue) Rare causes of chronic lip swelling include ongoing exposure to an unsuspected allergen, cheilitis granulomatosa, and Crohn Disease . The first step in evaluation is to assess airway patency and Airway Establishment and Control if necessary. Diagnostic inquiry focuses on potential causative exposures and underlying diseases. Treatment includes elimination of identified causes and treatment of causative diseases. Corticosteroid ointment or antihistamines (eg,diphenhydramine) may be used for allergic lip swelling. Surgical removal of chronic excess lip tissue may have cosmetic benefit. 