“How can I prevent canker sores?”

To prevent Canker Sores, you should watch what you are eating (nothing that irritate your mouth), choose healthy food to prevent nutritional deficiencies, follow a good oral hygiene (brush your teeth after every meal), and reduce your stress. Core sores on the lip are small blisters that are caused by Herpes Simplex Virus. They commonly clear up within 7 – 10 days but could last from 1 to 3 weeks. Cold sores are the most contagious when rupture, although they are contagious from the firt time you feel it around your mouth. There are antiviral drugs that help to get rid of them. Those drugs could be acyclovir, valacyclovir, penciclovir as well as others. If you are having frequent outbreaks, consider going to your healthcare provider for a prescribed medication. Core sores are triggered by different things which includes sunlight, trauma (in your case the needle injection could be the etiologic factor), and women in their menstrual period. The cold sire spread through saliva or close contact which is often by kissing or shearing utensils, straws, lips balm and towels.

Rinse with warm salty water. You may want to see a doctor about HPV testing. If positive, you can received prescription treatment for them. Good luck.

RBThomas,MD