Suffering from a cold sore? Here are a few home remedies to help you heal faster. First off, replace your toothbrush. Toothbrushes can hold the virus. You should change as soon as they appears and again after it is healed.

Keep clean. They are highly contagious. Wash your hands frequently and carry hand sanitizer with you at all times if possible. If you touch the sore, wash your hands immediately to avoid further contamination of your body and others. Do not share glasses or utensils and do not kiss or come into close contact with others while infected.

Try to avoid touching them if possible. Other than being contagious, they are easily irritated and susceptible to bacterial infections. Covering them with petroleum jelly can help speed the healing process and help protect it from a secondary bacterial infection.

Try to avoid salty or acidic foods as they can irritate them. It is believed that licorice can help speed up the healing process. Check to make sure the ingredient list includes “licorice mass,” not just “anise” flavoring. You can also purchase licorice powder and apply it directly to the sore. Just be careful and make sure to use it in moderation.

Cold compresses can help reduce recovery time as well. Ice, ice packs and even slushies can help relieve the pain and provide temporary help. Apply ice for a few minutes every hour or so to relieve pain and swelling. You can also steep a tea bag in hot water, allow it to cool and apply it to the affected area. Try Earl Grey tea.

Immune boosters like zinc lozenges and Echinacea can also help keep them away and ramp up recovery time.

While there are many home remedies for mouth sores, you should consider over the counter treatments and ointments as well as prescription medication to heal in the quickest amount of time. However, if you would rather avoid the side effects of over the counter products, then opt to home remedies.

Often times, there are many, or at least several terms to describe the same condition or similar conditions with a common origin. This can be confusing. Hopefully, this article will shed some light on the basics of cold sores.

What are the differences among oral herpes, fever blisters and cold sores? Well, actually they are all the same. While oral herpes isn’t as widely a used term as the other two monikers, the three terms are all different names for the outbreaks caused by the herpes simplex 1 virus and, in fewer cases, the herpes simplex 2 virus.

When a person is infected with the herpes simplex virus, type 1, he or she often develops this condition on or around the mouth. There are cases in which herpes simplex 2, the cause of most genital herpes can also cause this condition. However, these instances are significantly lower.

A cold sore can and often does break open, releasing a clear fluid. The area around it may become tender and painful to the touch. The area may also be red in color and swollen. Eventually, the sores will develop scabs. It can take anywhere from a couple days to in excess of two weeks for these eruptions to heal. The affected area should not be touched because herpes simplex virus 1 can be spread through contact. Fluids released from sores provide a perfect source for transmitting the virus for one person to another, so regardless of the name you use, take care not to spread these unsightly protrusions.

That is just a snippet of information on the basics of cold sores. If you wish, you can find a plethora of information online or in the library regarding treatment, causes and precautionary measures to avoid transmission; and pretty much anything else you want to know about the subject.