Did you know that between 50% and 80% of Americans have oral herpes, increasing their risk for developing cold sores?
The herpes virus stays in your body for your entire life, which means it is impossible to cure cold sores so they’ll never come back. However, our Grand Rapids dentists at GR Family Dental have ways to alleviate pain from cold sores and decrease healing time.
Causes of Cold Sores
Cold sores are the blister-like lesions that appear around the mouth, most commonly on the lips, chin, or cheeks. One of the most common causes of cold sores is the herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1).
Alleviate pain from cold sores & decrease healing time!
Oral herpes is easily spread by sharing eating utensils, kissing, or otherwise coming in contact with someone else’s saliva. Once you are infected with HSV-1, the infection will stay in your body for the rest of your life and periodically cause cold sores.
How We Treat Cold Sores
Many of our patients seek relief from cold sore symptoms by scheduling an appointment with one of our dentists. While there is no way to cure or prevent cold sores, our dentists offer a range of cold sore treatments, which include:
- Ointments
- Skin creams
- Oral medication
- Laser therapy
Laser therapy for cold sores works by zapping the virus that caused the sore. Keep in mind that laser therapy can’t cure a dormant HSV-1 infection.
Learn More
Our Grand Rapids, MI, cold sore treatment dentists are dedicated to helping patients maintain good oral health by providing a range of dental services. Call GR Family Dental today at (616) 455-3020, or contact us online.