To cure herpes in the mouth faster, reducing the pain, discomfort and risk of contaminating other people, you can apply an anti-viral ointment every 2 hours as soon as symptoms of itching, pain or blisters begin to appear. But besides the ointments there are still small adhesives that can cover the wounds, avoiding the contamination of other people.
In more severe cases, where the herpes takes more than 10 days to disappear, the doctor may also recommend the use of antiviral tablets, such as Famciclovir or Penciclovir, to reduce the manifestation of the virus. However, these remedies are only suitable for children and people with weakened immune systems, and when directed by the doctor.
Thus, treatment to eliminate sores and blisters in the mouth can be done with:
Most indicated ointments
The treatment for herpes in the mouth can be guided by a general practitioner or pharmacist and is usually done with the use of ointments such as:
- Zovirax; Acyclovir;
- Valaciclovir; Famciclovir.
The ointment should be applied up to 5 times a day for 7 days and during treatment the person should be careful not to contaminate anyone and so should not touch his lips on other people and should always dry with his own towel and should not share glasses and cutlery.
Home treatment
A good home treatment consists of eating 1 clove of garlic per day. This care should be started early on the first signs of herpes and should be kept until its cure. But in addition, there are other home remedies made with Jambú and Erva Cidreira, for example, that help heal the blisters in the mouth faster. See recipes in: Homemade treatment for cold sores.
Eating the right foods also helps heal the herpes infections in less time. Here's how feeding can help fight herpes in this video:
How To Treat Recurrent Cold Sores
In the case of recurrent cold sores, which manifests more than 5 times in the same year, treatment should be done with the application of the ointment indicated by the doctor, such as Zovirax, when the patient begins to feel itching in the region of the lip and to avoid herpes arise so often it is recommended:
- Avoid excessive stress and anxiety;
- Moisturize lips, especially when it is very cold;
- Avoid prolonged sun exposure and put sunscreen on the lips.
Although cold sores disappear completely after treatment, it can recur several times over the life of the patient, especially in times of increased stress or when the person more time exposed to the sun, such as during a vacation, for example.
Another way to decrease the frequency of herpes is to take a lysine supplement in capsules. Simply take 1 or 2 capsules of 500mg per day for 3 months, or as directed by the dermatologist or pharmacist. The capsules should be taken when the herpes lesions are improving, and will prevent them from manifesting again, also decreasing their intensity. These capsules can be purchased at pharmacies, drugstores, health food stores or drugstores.
Look at foods that have the same property as these capsules, and that can help fight herpes.
How is the treatment in pregnancy?
The treatment of cold sores during pregnancy and during breastfeeding may also be done with ointments or antiviral tablets, such as Acyclovir or Valacyclovir; however, their use should only be done under prescription of the obstetrician accompanying the pregnancy, because of the risk of being able to harm the drink.
A good alternative are home remedies like propolis, which favors healing of the herpes wound and helps relieve inflammation. Here's how to make a great homemade ointment with propolis in: Home remedy for cold sores.
What is Cold Sores
Cold sores are an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus that is not definitively eliminated from the body, which is why it manifests itself through very sore mouth blisters that last for 7 to 10 days. Herpes is a contagious disease that passes from one person to another through direct contact with the blisters or with the liquid that can contaminate cups, cutlery and towels, for example. Another common form of contagion is through kissing, so as long as the symptoms are clear you should not give kisses, especially on babies because they may be life-threatening.
Signs of improvement
Signs of improvement of cold sores appear around 4 days after initiation of treatment and include decreased itching, reduced redness and wound healing and blistering in the mouth.
Signs of worsening
Signs of worsening cold sores are more common in patients who do not treat properly and include herpes sores on other regions of the lips, inside the mouth and pain when chewing and swallowing, for example.