Treat Cold Sores with Dr. Smith’s Dental Laser

and never have a cold sore in that area again!

Cold sores, sometimes called fever blisters, are groups of small blisters on the lip and around the mouth. The skin around the blisters is often red, swollen, and sore. The blisters may break open, leak a clear fluid, and then scab over after a few days. They usually heal in about two weeks.

The herpes simplex virus usually enters the body through a break in the skin around or inside the mouth. It is usually spread when a person touches a cold sore or touches infected fluid-such as from sharing eating utensils or razors, kissing an infected person, or touching that person’s saliva. A parent who has a cold sore often spreads the infection to his or her child in this way.

The first symptoms of cold sores may include pain around your mouth and on your lips, a fever, a sore throat, or swollen glands in your neck or other parts of the body. Small children sometimes drool before cold sores appear. After the blisters appear, the cold sores usually break open, leak a clear fluid, and then crust over and disappear after about a week. For some people, cold sores can be very painful.

Most people use anti-viral creams and ointments to try and decrease the duration of the sore.  For some people this type of treatment is helpful, other people see no benefits.  The most effective way to get rid of a cold sore is to have your dentist treat it with a CO2 laser.  This procedure takes about 10 seconds and is comfortable.  Most people do not even need to be numb.  Immediately after the laser treatment of a cold sore almost all of your discomfort of the sore is eliminated.

The herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores can’t be cured. After you are infected, the virus stays in your body for the rest of your life.  But the best part about having cold sores treated with a CO2 dental laser is that the cold sore will never return in the same area of your mouth.  If you get cold sores often, treatment with a dental laser can reduce the number of cold sores you get and how severe they are.

Lasers have been used in dentistry for decades.  Dr. Smith uses her CO2 laser instead of a scalpel for incisions, biopsies, surgeries, deep cleanings and gum treatments.  When using a CO2 laser there is no blood, less possibility of infection, less trauma, much less swelling and minimal post-operative discomfort.  Dr. Smith’s CO2 laser can also be used to treat gum and bone disease and help patients keep their teeth instead of having their teeth extracted.  The dental laser is an amazing tool and allows Dr. Smith to treat her patients with tender, loving care.