Why do my lips appear in better shape without white gunk forming after I get my teeth cleaned?. Have you also noticed that? The dental hygienist removes biofilm on your teeth. I think dentists may now understand us if we say we are getting biofilm from bacteria on our lips... possibly inside cracks in lips causing them to exfoliate.
"specific lactic acid ferments could eradicate biofilms" in 2008 article below. A century ago, lactic acid also was used to manage a patient's EC. http://www.aaqm.org/Downloads/aaqmdocMay08.pdf