Submitted by Houska Dental Center
If you’ve ever had a cold sore, sometimes called a fever blister, you know how painful and annoying they can be—especially if one appears just before an important event! Cold sores are very common, affecting an estimated 45 to 80 percent of adults and children. They are often confused with canker sores, but canker sores occur only inside the mouth while cold sores occur outside the mouth, typically on the lips. So just what are these embarrassing and painful reddish blisters on the mouth that break open, ooze, and crust over?
Cold sores are caused by type 1 herpes simplex virus, not to be confused with type 2, which usually affects the genital area. The vast majority of people acquire the herpes simplex type 1 virus as a child, but they don’t know it because they never have any symptoms. The herpes virus stays in the body forever, usually remaining dormant in the nerve tissues in the face. But sometimes the virus “wakes up,” causing cold sores. Unlike most viral infections, it is never completely eliminated by the immune system. This is why it often recurs.
About 15 percent of people experience a cold sore three to five days after they are initially infected with the type 1 herpes simplex virus, and some may deal with recurring breakouts for many years. The first breakout is usually the worst and may even be accompanied by a fever, swollen glands, sore throat, aches, and pains. It’s not really known why some people experience symptoms and have recurring outbreaks and others don’t, although flare-ups are most commonly triggered by emotional stress and sun exposure.
There isn’t a “cure” for cold sores, and they usually resolve on their own within two weeks. Following are several ways to treat them:
- Over-the-counter (OTC) topical creams and ointments can help relieve the burning and itching. Most of the topical agents do not help the sore to heal any faster, but they can alleviate symptoms. Abreva is the only OTC cream that has been shown to shorten the length of an outbreak, but only by several hours to possibly a day.
- Prescription-strength topical medications will help with the pain and reduce healing time, but generally only by a day or less. Any sort of topical treatment is not very effective because they cannot penetrate to where the virus is growing.
- Oral anti-viral prescription medication can fight the virus more effectively so that the symptoms go away sooner. These also help reduce pain and discomfort.
- Skin protectants, such as Vaseline, can help the lesion to stay moist and help prevent cracking.
- Applying sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher) or lip balm containing zinc oxide to the lips before going outside has been shown to prevent cold sores that are triggered by sunlight.
- Apply the sunscreen before going outside, and reapply frequently during sun exposure.
- Wash the sores, and keep them dry to prevent bacterial infections
- Eat soft, bland foods to avoid irritating the sores and surrounding tissues.
The virus is very contagious when the sores are present and can be spread by any close contact— such as kissing—as well as by sharing towels, eating utensils, toothbrushes, cosmetics, etc. with someone who is infected. It can be especially difficult to keep children from rubbing the sore and then touching other children or adults. The virus is not commonly spread by touching contaminated surfaces, such as doorknobs.
Cold sores are rarely serious, but if the virus is spread to other parts of the body, it can cause bacterial skin infections. Herpes infection of the eye can be especially serious and may cause scarring of the cornea or even vision loss. People with weakened immune systems can also experience complications. Be sure to contact your dentist if you have recurring cold sores, if a cold sore does not heal, or if the symptoms are especially bothersome.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call Houska Dental Center at 309-662-9042, or visit them online at
www.houskadentalcenter.com. They are located at 2433 Maloney Dr. in Bloomington and offer exceptional dental care to the Bloomington-Normal area with expertise in general and cosmetic dentistry.
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