Oral herpes or herpes labialis is an infection of the lips, mouth, or gums by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1).
Herpes viruses spread most easily from individuals with an active outbreak or sore. You can catch this virus if you:
1. Have intimate or personal contact with someone who is infected.
2. Touch an open herpes sore or something that has been in contact with the herpes virus, such as infected razors, towels, dishes, and other shared items.
Parents may also spread the virus to their children during regular daily activities.
Symptoms
Symptoms may be mild or severe. They most often appear within 1 to 3 weeks after you come into contact with the virus and may last up to 3 weeks. They include itching of the lips or skin around mouth, burning near the lips or mouth area, tingling near the lips or mouth area, sore throat, fever, swollen glands, and painful swallowing.
Treatment
There is no available vaccine and once infected, there is no cure!
However, antiviral medications can reduce the frequency, duration, and severity of outbreaks. Analgesics such as ibuprofen and paracetamol (acetaminophen) can reduce pain and fever. Topical anesthetic treatments such as prilocaine, lidocaine, benzocaine, or tetracaine can also relieve itching and pain.
The following steps can also help make the patient feel better:
1. Apply ice or a warm washcloth to the sores to help ease pain.
2. Wash the blisters gently with germ-fighting (antiseptic) soap and water. This helps prevent spreading the virus to other body areas.
3. Avoid hot beverages, spicy and salty foods, and citrus.
4. Gargle with cool water or eat popsicles.
5. Rinse with salt water.
6. Take a pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Tylenol).
Prevention
1. Avoid direct contact with herpes sores.
2. Wash items such as towels and linens in boiling hot water after each use.
3. Do not share utensils, straws, glasses, or other items with someone that has oral herpes.
Do not have oral sex if you have oral herpes, especially if you have blisters. You can spread the virus to the genitals. Both oral and genital herpes viruses can sometimes be spread, even when you do not have mouth sores or blisters.
See a doctor if you have any of the symptoms listed above or recently had contact with someone with oral herpes.