Cold sores can be painful and embarrassing, but new treatment methods mean they can go away sooner than you’d think. Laser cold sore treatments provide relief and can dramatically decrease the time it takes cold sores to go away or even prevent them.
Cold Sore Laser Treatment
Cold sores can normally heal within a few days of the initial breakout and vanish within a few weeks without treatment. Over-the-counter treatments such as creams and ointments can shorten the healing times to three or four days. However, with new laser treatments, it has been shown that with early detection and early treatment, healing times can be greatly improved, and cold sores can even be prevented.
What Are Cold Sores?
When you get a filling, the area around the infected tooth is numbed. You shouldn’t feel anything for an hour or two after your appointment but once the numbing wears off it’s normal to feel pain in your teeth and gums.
It’s common to experience pain when drinking or eating anything hot or cold. It is also not uncommon to feel pain or greater than usual sensitivity when you brush or floss near the infected tooth.
How Are Cold Sores Treated?
If you feel the initial tingling sensation that accompanies a cold sore outbreak, call your dentist right away. Your Alpharetta, GA dentist can diagnose your cold sore during a routine exam. Laser treatment works by destroying the virus and stopping the progression of the herpetic lesion, meaning you won’t experience more sores.
Here are the typical recovery times you can anticipate:
Fully developed lesions may not be treatable with our laser, so it’s important to catch the outbreak early.
What Causes Cold Sores?
Cold sores are a common viral infection. They are tiny, fluid-filled blisters on and around your lips and are often grouped together in patches. After the blisters break, a crust forms over the resulting sore and will usually heal in two to four weeks without leaving a scar.
Cold sores spread from person to person through close contact, such as kissing. They’re caused by a herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) closely related to the one that causes genital herpes (HSV-2). They are contagious, even if you can’t see them yet.
Cold Sore Triggers
Cold sore outbreaks can be triggered by a variety of factors, including stress, illness, fatigue, sun exposure, and hormonal changes. For some individuals, certain foods or even weather conditions can also lead to flare-ups. While the herpes simplex virus remains in the body once contracted, understanding your triggers and taking preventive measures can help reduce the frequency of outbreaks. Using sunscreen on your lips, managing stress, and maintaining a strong immune system can all be helpful in preventing cold sores.
Benefits Of Laser Treatment For Cold Sores
Laser cold sore treatment offers several advantages over traditional methods. Not only can it shorten the healing time dramatically, but it can also help reduce the pain and discomfort associated with an outbreak. Laser treatment targets the virus directly, stopping the sore from fully developing, which minimizes the size and severity of the outbreak. Additionally, laser therapy is non-invasive and can even reduce the frequency of future outbreaks in some patients by limiting the viral activity in the treated area.