Day: June 5, 2019

Cold Sores

Cold sores form outside the mouth, usually on the lips, but they may appear on the chin, outside of the cheek or the nostrils. They begin as a red blister, burst and crust over and last for 7-14 days.

Cold sores – caused by the herpes simplex virus (type 1) – are contagious; they transmit by skin-to-skin contact. The virus, carried by almost everyone, is dormant most of the time. Fever blisters occur most often in young adults and adolescents and decline in people over 35 years of age. Certain factors activate its outbreak, particularly stress, colds, fevers and/or sunburn.

To reduce occurrences, avoid kissing when the blisters are visible. Also, don’t squeeze or scrape the blister. Wash your hands thoroughly before touching someone else and use UV sunscreen on your lips before spending time in the sun.

Treatment of cold sores includes avoiding spicy and hot foods that will irritate them, application of phenol-containing over-the-counter ointments and administration of some anti-viral antibiotics that will shorten their duration (but not prevent their outbreak).

If you’re worried about canker or cold sores, call our office. We’re here to help you deal with these common afflictions and will offer additional treatment recommendations, as necessary.

Please click here to know about canker sores


Fever Blisters and Cold Sores

What’s the difference between a fever blister and a cold sore?

Fever blisters and cold sores are two of the most common disorders in the mouth. They cause discomfort, annoyance, and sometimes, embarrassment. Both cause sores to develop in or around the mouth, and are often confused with each other.

The difference is that a cold sore occurs only on the inside of the mouth (tongue, linings of the cheeks, lips and throat) and fever blisters usually occur outside the mouth on the lips, chin, cheeks or nostrils.

If they do occur in the mouth, they are usually on the roof of the mouth or gums. They will appear smaller than cold sores and often begin as a blister.

Please contact our family dentist Dr Bagga at Caliber Dental, Randolph NJ