Conditions
Mouth Ulcers and Cold Sores
In Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle he describes in detail the mysterious substance called Ice 9 which with one touch to the lips will kill a person instantly. It seems possible that Vonnegut took inspiration from oral herpes because it’s caught in exactly the same way – but don’t panic; this virus is far from fatal. Oral herpes is the most common cause of cold sores, small, fluid filled lesions that usually develop around the mouth and often burn, itch and tingle, and mouth ulcers – which are found inside the mouth. Further ailments can sometimes include swollen gums, bad breath, dehydration, a sore throat and excess saliva. Cold sores, most commonly caused by the herpes simplex virus, are highly contagious. The cold sore causing virus is easily passed on via skin to mouth contact, such as kissing, or through a shared object like cutlery, a seemingly innocent lollipop or that pen lid you just can’t resist chewing – in other words catching the virus is often unavoidable. Notoriously Liza Minnelli and David Gest publicly argued for months in the media over who passed the virus on to who (yes that really happened). But don’t get to the end of this article and panic buy a crate of bleach – there’s really no need to start sanitising everything before getting your mouth around it. Whilst the herpes virus admittedly does stay in your body forever its impact is normally pretty minimal with most people just having the occasional cold sore ot mouth ulcer. There are numerous non-prescription treatments available for they do decide to strike, most commonly taking the form of a cream which can be applied to the affected area and clear the sores up in a couple of days – if only Liza and David would vanish as easily. If you are getting constant mouth ulcers you should see your GP in case there is an underlying condition at work.
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my partner is suffering from mouth ulcers but it only comes about when he stops smoking and he gets loads at a time and if he starts again they go. he has been to the doc but said that they cant really do any thing has any one got any suggestions or any thing that might help
hi my name is jack and i have had cold sores ever since i was a baby and i get them quite often i have tryed everything from the creams to the antibiotics nothing works on me is there any way to get rid of them so they never come back maybe some surgery options just anything.....thank you very much jack
Hello, i tried using some tablets that i got from the doctor, i also get coldsores on my ears and nose. i know how you feel! go to the doctors and ask for some tablets, they work! i dont think there is anything you can do to get rid of them forever, just have to use things that can help them become more managable. hope this helps you! i think the tablets we're called 'aclivoir'.
Hello, i tried using some tablets that i got from the doctor, i also get coldsores on my ears and nose. i know how you feel! go to the doctors and ask for some tablets, they work! i dont think there is anything you can do to get rid of them forever, just have to use things that can help them become more managable. hope this helps you! i think the tablets we're called 'aclivoir'.
I suffer from cold sores and have just struck up a new relationship which we would now like to move to a sexual one. Sadly my new partner suffers from genetic herpes. How can we have a 'healthy' sex life without risking one of us exacerbating symptoms? Obviously we would be using condoms but is this enough?
if you have mouth ulcers are you immune to coldsores?
hi i just wanted some advice, i have been suffering with terrible mouth ulcers on and off since january 2010- i have tried everything and nothing helps. Iam actaully worried that it is making me depressed as i am unable to eat for 10 days at a time. I have bee to drs, dentists and even tried acupunture. I am really fed up and need some hElp. I have now started to get colsores and even more upset- is there something linking these problems. I have had several blood tests and everything seems ok. I
I've been having the same thing for about four years now. I've seen countless specialists and have had all sorts of test and basically they couldn't tell me what was causing them. After some research, I've discovered that it's more common than you think. This is most common in girls, but it can happen to guys. These mouth ulcers or sores are most likely caused by stress. Even if you don't feel super stressed your body could be feeling differently. I don't know why it makes ulcers but it does. Unfortunately, the only remedy is numbing gels found at your local drug store. When they were still figuring out why I was getting them, they gave me a solution of Benadryl and a heartburn medicine (liquid and not pink) and told me to swish it around in my mouth for about 30 seconds then spit it out. This is what they give cancer patients for mouth ulcers caused by their treatments. It works, kind of. It basically coats your mouth for a little bit. I was also given codine, morphine, and some other pain killers because I'm allergic to a bunch of medicines so it's hard for me to take anything. They probably won't give you strong ones like those but you're not missing out. They make you so tired you just sleep for hours or days. There are clinics around the country that do some sort of process that removes the ulcers or something like that but it's really expensive and there aren't a lot of those places. So basically, you just have to tough it out. If you wind up not eating for 10 days (this has happened to me) be sure to go to the ER so they can give you an IV and other things just so you don't have any other issues. Anyways, I hope this helped. I am in no way a doctor, I am 17. But this is just my take and what is probably the case you have.
I used to get them all the time when I was younger and it was very painful. It turned out to be an allergy to sodiumlaurylsulphate that is used in toothpaste to make it foam. I now use a toothpaste called zendium which does not contain this chemical and as a result I NEVER get ulcers. I tried a couple of times to change toothpaste again but then I got the ulcers back within a few days. I'm now 41 and I havn't had an ulcer in 20 years but I can never use any other toothpaste than zendium. (I havn't found another brand which does not contain sodiumlaurylsulphate).
Hi, I have suffered from mouth ulcers for a few years, off and on. But, over the past 12 months I it has worsen and are continuous. I have been to my GP and had two lots of Aciclovir tablets and they have not worked. I have been told that it could be a side effect from the Epinutin capsules (400mg a day - 300mg am & 100mg pm. No one will tell me what's going on. Can you help please.
I used to get them all the time when I was younger and it was very painful. It turned out to be an allergy to sodiumlaurylsulphate that is used in toothpaste to make it foam. I now use a toothpaste called zendium which does not contain this chemical and as a result I NEVER get ulcers. I tried a couple of times to change toothpaste again but then I got the ulcers back within a few days. I'm now 41 and I havn't had an ulcer in 20 years but I can never use any other toothpaste than zendium. (I havn't found another brand which does not contain sodiumlaurylsulphate).
Have you tried using a toothpaste that does NOT contain sodiumlaurylsulphate? (for example zendium). This made all the difference for me!
I am 55. I had a viral illness followed by a persistent sore throat and I felt like I'd burnt the roof of my mouth and tongue but I hadn't. Dentist saw an ulcer on my gum. 3 weeks on terrible sore throat again and GP says two aphthous ulcers at back of throat. Any suggestions?
Hi im 16 and have been getting cold sores since the age of 10, i try avoiding drinking out of the same bottle/cup as people and even try avoid kissing people but its horrible i get them at least once a month i went to my doctor and he gave me cream but it makes them worse anyone no how i can prevent them or how to get rid of them?.
I am 40 and suffered cold sores as long as I can remember, you say you get them at least once a month, I always seem to get them when I have my period which can't be helped but other triggers are sun, nerves and stress also when my hair was long and brushed against my face that would also cause them to come up. I have used Zoviarex for about 25 years (about time something else was developed) if you put this on at the tingle and most of all do not touch the area no matter how much it itches the time you hove the cold sore will be reduced. I have a family and have managed not to pass this horrible problem on to any of them, unfortuantely it is just something you have to learn to manage
Hi, I've suffered with cold sores for about 7 years and believe me I've tried everything from salt to dried toothpaste...even dabbing bleach on to them, stupid I know ! I used to get them sometimes twice a month in the winter, especially when my immune system was low, and it was this pattern which got me thinking =) the best thing you can take to boost your immune system is vitamin C , so I set about arming myself with Morrison's own brand of 1000 milligrams of vit C and now I can honestly say I only get 1 or maybe 2 a year....RESULT ! You'll never get rid of the virus but you can help keep it at bay, all you need to remember is the virus feeds off your low immunity so if you smoke give up because this alone will reduce your chance of infection by 50%, and if you drink alcohol then don't drink as much in the winter when the bugs are about ! By the way, I usually take two a day but it does recommend only one. I have one after breakie and one after tea. If you only take the vit C tablets and not the vit C & zinc combined then you should be ok ;) you will still get them but they will be smaller and won't see out a week, remember to look after your immune system and eat power foods like garlic, onion and chillies. Stay clear of nuts and chocolate and also caffeine. Apparently nuts and chocolate have a chemical in them that triggers an out break ! good luck :)
hello, i was exactly the same from the age of 5 i used to get coldsores near enough every 2 weeks i got them, They were itchy and so sore and would turn into big water blisters that would make me feel physically sick. Im now 25 and since about the age of 15 ive been using sudacrem smothered all over the cold sore at night and it really reduces it maybe worth a try for you too
Once you have them you have them for life. I suffer with them also as soon as you feel that tingling feeling in your lip put cream on straight away. It should prevent one occurring. I also find that when you are run down and the cold weather sets them off also.
I cut the inside of my mouth with a sharp (from chewing)pen and now it is getting worse, it has red veins all around it and there is a while - ulcer looking spot on the middle next to my tooth - is it infected or just heeling?
hi i have been to see my doctor and he has said that i am suffering with recurring aphthous ulcers but that there is no treatment,i havee changed my toothpaste ect and now i have been suffering from these for about 2 months maybe longer but they have not cleared up at all in this time they are allover my upper and lower lip on the inside of my mouth my lips become swollen sometimes and underneath my tongue is so swollen it looks like there is extra skin there,i get up on a morning and by that night i have at least 6more appearing,no one else in my family have these and no one seems to have caught them from me,please help me i am in absolute agony every day,i can barely eat or even talk it is really getting me down.
Hi roxanne, I know how you are feeling. I get repeated (recurring) mouth ulcers all the time from i have been a child. I have been to several doctors, and the dentist. It usually starts off with one small one then another apears beside it joining the two in to one massive one in which the area around the ulcer swells up as well as my face. I usually end up with about 6 in my mouth at one time. My mother had them when she was younger but when she hit her twentys they disappeared. My doctor issued me with a type of b vitamin tablet. (B12 and B6) which i took 1 3 times a day and 1 twice a day they seemed to help for a month but i dont think they can be taken for long periods of time. I was also issued wirh a mouth wash Dilflam which numbs them for a bit. I have also cut out sweets e.g boiled sweets and if i drink out off a bottle i wash and change it every couple off days. Hope this helps you.
I used to get them all the time when I was younger and it was very painful. It turned out to be an allergy to sodiumlaurylsulphate that is used in toothpaste to make it foam. I now use a toothpaste called zendium which does not contain this chemical and as a result I NEVER get ulcers. I tried a couple of times to change toothpaste again but then I got the ulcers back within a few days. I'm now 41 and I havn't had an ulcer in 20 years but I can never use any other toothpaste than zendium. (I havn't found another brand which does not contain sodiumlaurylsulphate).
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