How to get rid of a fever blister fast

Also known as fever blisters, cold sores are a common viral infection. They look like small blisters that are filled with fluid and on and around your lips. Many times, these blisters form in patches. Once they break, a crust develops over the sore. Fortunately, cold sores usually go away within two to four weeks and don’t leave a scar. The most painful cold sores are the ones that show up on the cracks of the cheeks and where the teeth hit the inside of one’s lips. They can sometimes be so painful that it brings tears to the eyes.

Many people have reached out to us asking the fastest ways to get rid of a cold sore or if there are any at home remedies that can fix the pain in 24 hours or less.

If two to four weeks seems like a long time or you have an upcoming important event and would like to get rid of your core sore as soon as possible, you may be able to. There are a number of natural home remedies that may get the job done. We recommend you try the following:

• Tea Tree Oil
• Ice Cube
• Apple Cider Vinegar

Tea Tree Oil

Dab a bit of tea tree oil on a cotton swab and apply it to the sore directly. Be sure to repeat this several times during the day and before you go to bed. Tea tree oil is a great option because it contains anti-viral properties that kill infection that spread bacteria and expedite the healing process.

Ice Cube

Take an ice cube and hold it on to your cold sore to minimize itching and swelling. Try your best to avoid scratching the sore and repeat this several times during the day. Since an ice cube can reduce swelling, it can make your cold sore heal faster.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Use a cotton swab to apply apple cider vinegar on the cold sore with the cotton swab and leave it one until it dries. Repeat this several times throughout the day. Apple cider vinegar is an antimicrobial agent, which can kills the virus that’s causing infection and provide you with quick relief.

Contact River Run Dental

As with any type of sore or irritation, do not pick at it or rub insistently as this will only make it worse. It is not uncommon for people to lick or rub a cold sore with their tongue. There can be a slight pain that jolts through the skin and sore when doing this but some enjoy the pain. No matter your pain tolerance, understand that licking, picking or rubbing a cold sore is only going to prolong the time it is on your lips. We have heard of some people that actually enjoy this pain and it causes the cold sores to remain longer because they irritate the blister. Do your best to not touch it with your tongue or teeth.

For more information on cold sores and how to get rid of your them, contact our Midlothian, VA dental office. Feel free to call us at (804) 262-1060 to schedule an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you!

Read this article in Spanish here – Cómo deshacerse de las boqueras en 24 horas

Cold sores: To know them is to loathe them.

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More than half of people in the U.S. have been infected with the virus that causes cold sores. Between 20 and 40% of them will experience the joy that is a cold sore.

If you’re one of them, odds are you know this pattern: A tingling or burning sensation on your lip. A day later, an oozy, fluid-filled blister on your mouth, always at the most inopportune time.

Family medicine physician Sarah Pickering Beers, MD, shares her advice for dealing with this sore spot.

Cold sores: common and contagious

Cold sores are common and mostly harmless. They’re caused by the herpes simplex virus, which spreads easily from person to person.

In some lucky people, the virus might cause a cold sore once or twice and never rear its head again. But for other people, they come back again and again, sometimes several times a year. And that gets old real fast. 

“They tend to go away on their own in 10 to 14 days,” says Dr. Beers. “But that doesn’t make them any less annoying.”

Cold sore remedies

Two weeks might as well be an eternity when you have an oozy, scabby sore smack dab in the middle of your face. Here’s what you can do to ease the discomfort and send that cold on its way.

• Oral antiviral medications: “The most efficient way to get rid of cold sores is with oral antiviral medications,” Dr. Beers says. A doctor can prescribe these medications, which reduce pain and help the sore clear faster. But you have to start taking them within the first day or so that the cold sore develops, or they don’t do much to help, Dr. Beers says. If you’re one of the unlucky people who tends to get cold sore after cold sore, your doctor might be able to prescribe a daily antiviral to keep them at bay, Dr. Beers adds. 
• Antiviral cream: If you can’t make it to a doctor for a prescription, over-the-counter antiviral creams can help knock back a cold sore. “These are slightly less effective than oral antivirals, but they do reduce the pain and duration of the sore,” Dr. Beers says. But like oral medications, you have to start using the cream ASAP for it to work.

How to treat cold sore pain

DIY remedies aren’t likely to make a cold sore disappear any faster. But there are things you can do to ease the pain while you’re waiting impatiently for it to heal.

1. Numb the pain: Over-the-counter pain reliever creams such as lidocaine and benzocaine can numb the burning and ease the discomfort. These are often marketed for dental pain, so look for them in the dental section of the drug store.
2. Moisturize: Keep your lip and mouth area moisturized to prevent the sore from drying out and peeling, Dr. Beers says. But if you use lip balm on an active sore, consider it contaminated. “Once you’ve used it on a cold sore, you should throw it away after the sore is better,” Dr. Beers says.
3. Cool it: Using a simple cold compress, like ice or a cold, wet rag, can help reduce pain and redness.
4. Hands off: It can take all your self-control not to play with a cold sore, but try to resist the temptation. “It’s instinct to pick at it and scrape the peeling skin, but you should let it heal itself,” Dr. Beers says.

Meanwhile, you don’t want to inflict these sores on others. Skip the make-out sessions until you’ve healed and wash your hands often.

While cold sores are annoying in adults, the virus can be life-threatening in a baby, so take care to steer clear, Dr. Beers advises: “As much as you might want to see your niece or nephew or grandbaby, please don’t shower them with kisses if you have an active cold sore.”

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