Causes of oral herpes (cold sores) and how to treat it
Herpes simplex is a viral infection that affects the mouth, genitals, or anal area. It is contagious and causes a lot of discomfort in the daily life of the patient. Join to learn more about oral herpes.
What is oral herpes
Oral herpes is a highly contagious virus that can cause cold sores on the lips, mouth, or gums. The virus is most commonly spread through contact with saliva or blood from an infected person. Oral herpes is also a common cause of genital herpes. It causes small, painful blisters known as cold sores or herpes. Additionally, it may result in symptoms including fever and muscular soreness.
The herpes simplex virus infects only humans. Canker sores usually occur in children aged 1-5 years, but they can appear at any age and at any time of the year. Since the herpes simplex virus is highly contagious, most people have contracted at least one type of herpes before they reach adulthood.
Oral herpes virus causes (oral herpes)
A typical mouth infection is called oral herpes. It is caused by the simplex virus Type 1 (HSV-1). Most people in the United States are infected with this virus in the first twenty years of their lives. After infection with the virus, the virus remains in an incubation state in the nerve tissues of the face. The virus can occasionally become active and produce cold sores.
Typically, genital herpes is brought on by the herpes virus type 2 (HSV-2). However, sometimes HVS2 spreads to the mouth during oral sex, causing oral herpes. The herpes virus spreads more easily than in people who have an active ulcer.
You can get this virus if:
Having sex with a sick person, touching sores caused by herpes, or objects that have been in contact with the herpes virus (such as razors, towels, or other common objects). Parents can transmit the virus to their children during normal daily activities.
Stages and manifestations of oral herpes
Incubation period:
for oral herpes, the period between exposure to the virus and the onset of symptoms, the incubation period is from 2 to 12 days. The average for most cases is about 4 days.
Duration of the disease:
signs and symptoms last from two to three weeks. Fever, fatigue, malaise, and muscle aches may be present but not everyone has them.
Before the appearance of sores, pain, burning, or itching may occur at the site of the injury. Then the group of pimples broke out. These blisters quickly rupture, forming small, shallow Gray ulcers on a red background. After a few days, they become drier and more yellowish. They may eventually peel off and fall off.
Mouth sores:
the most severe pain from these sores occurs at the beginning and makes eating and drinking difficult. Sores can occur on the lips, gums, inside the cheeks, in front of the tongue, throat, and roof of the mouth. It can also extend down the chin from the neck. The gums are slightly swollen, red, and even bleed. Painful swelling of the neck. In people in their teens and twenties, herpes causes a sore throat with a shallow ulcer with a gray coating on the surface of the tonsils.
Herpes infection can be dangerous if it occurs in or near the eyes or occurs in people whose immune systems have weakened due to certain diseases and medications.
Oral herpes treatment
Drugs for the treatment of oral herpes
Symptoms may disappear on their own without treatment within one to two weeks.
You can take antiviral drugs to help relieve pain and get rid of symptoms quickly. The drugs used to treat oral herpes include Acyclovir, famciclovir, and valaciclovir. These medications work best if you take them when you have warning signs, such as a burning pain around your mouth before cold sores appear. If you get oral herpes frequently, you may need to take these medications regularly. Also available are antiviral skin creams.
However, they are expensive and usually shorten the duration of an outbreak from a few hours to a day. The importance of treatment is not so great.
Take a painkiller.
Things you can do to treat cold sores at home
- Apply ice or a warm cloth to the sore to help relieve the pain.
- Gently wash the pimples with antibacterial (antiseptic) soap and water. This helps prevent the virus from spreading to other areas of the body.
- Avoid hot drinks, spicy and salty foods, or acidic fruits such as citrus fruits.
- Gargle with cold water or eat popsicles.
- Rinse with salt water.
Since the sores are very painful, you may have trouble eating and drinking. To prevent dehydration, see your doctor/ as soon as you are unable to eat or drink or have symptoms that indicate dehydration/ such as less urination, drowsiness, irritability, and dry mouth.
Oral herpes usually goes away on its own within one to two weeks/ but it can recur. When you experience some emotional or physical stress, the virus can reactivate and cause sores and pathological symptoms.
Prevention of oral herpes
Here are some tips for preventing oral herpes:
- Apply sunscreen or lip balm containing zinc oxide to your lips before going out.
- Apply a moisturizing lip balm to prevent your lips from drying out too dry.
- Keep your distance from herpes lesions.
- Wash items such as towels and linens in boiling water after each use.
- Don't share utensils, straws, glasses, or any other objects if someone has oral herpes.
- Do not have oral sex if you have oral herpes, especially if you have pimples, which can easily transmit the virus to your genitals. In fact, both oral herpes and genital herpes can spread, even if you don't have sores or blisters in your mouth.