Could be: AVOIDING DAIRY
Cracks at the corner of the mouth – known as angular stomatitis – can occur in people who are deficient in the B vitamins says Dr Billinski in particular vitamin B2 (also known as riboflavin) and B3.
These vitamins have anti-inflammatory properties and too little can be linked to redness in the skin and cracking at the corners of the lips. Other symptoms might also include a thickened tongue.
Cracks at the side of the mouth could be a sign of B vitamins deficiency (file photo)
What you can do:
Vitamin B deficiency can be common in vegans and those who avoid major food groups as B vitamins are primarily found in dairy foods, eggs, lean meat and fish.
Dark green leafy vegetables are also rich sources of B vitamins especially peas and spinach so vegans should ensure they eat enough of these and may need to take a supplement.
‘The best way is to ask your doctor for a blood test to take the guess work out of whether or not you have a deficiency,’ says Dr Billinsk