Why Does My Skin Break Out Around My Mouth?
It Could Be Your Toothpaste
You look in the mirror and see stubborn red bumps right around your mouth. The rest of your face is clear, but your chin and the area around your lips keep breaking out.
You ask yourself, “Is this acne? Is it a rash?”
The answer might actually be sitting on your bathroom counter. It could be your toothpaste.
This condition is called perioral dermatitis. The fluoride, whitening agents, and preservatives in toothpaste can irritate the delicate skin around your lips.
Here is what happens. When you brush your teeth, a tiny bit of that minty foam often stays behind on your skin. You might wipe it off with a towel, but the irritants remain. That invisible residue triggers inflammation.
It is not acne. It is more of an irritation reaction.
The good news is there is a simple fix. You do not necessarily have to change toothpaste brands right away, though switching to one that is lower in fluoride or fluoride-free may help.
The key is to wash your face well after you brush your teeth. Rinse the area around your mouth thoroughly to remove any leftover residue. That one small step can make a big difference.
However, some people are so sensitive that washing alone is not enough. They need to switch to a fluoride-free toothpaste entirely.
The addition of fluoride to toothpaste is a topic people debate, but one thing is clear. Over the years, manufacturers have added more and more fluoride. In my experience, patients with perioral dermatitis are much more likely to be using a very high-fluoride toothpaste.
If you get these mystery bumps around your mouth, pay attention to your toothpaste. It might be the hidden culprit you have been overlooking.
Try washing your face after every brushing for a couple of weeks. If that does not do the trick, consider trying a fluoride-free option and see if the bumps clear up.
Authored by Gerard Guillory, MD
Gerard Guillory, MD, is a board-certified internist who practiced for nearly four decades with a focus on functional, root-cause medicine. He is the author of three books on irritable bowel syndrome and the founder of It’s My Health, where he and his team put current health news in context and help members understand the underlying causes of chronic symptoms.
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