Life

Ask the Dentist: Cold sores unsightly for adults but can be dangerous to babies

Once you catch the virus that causes cold sores, it stays for life – but there may be light at the end of the blistery tunnel, writes Lucy Stock, dentist at Gentle Dental Care in Belfast

Cold sores look unsightly and indicate that you are stressed or run-down but they can have very serious implications for young babies
Cold sores look unsightly and indicate that you are stressed or run-down but they can have very serious implications for young babies Cold sores look unsightly and indicate that you are stressed or run-down but they can have very serious implications for young babies
By Lucy Stock

THE blister clusters that we call cold sores are pesky lesions lurking on our lips that always manage to ruin an otherwise perfect outfit. However, these sores caused by the herpes virus are more than just a façade downer – they can have serious manifestations.

Greek Scholars coined the word “herpes” which means to creep or crawl, referencing the spreading way that herpetic lesions move over the skin.

Herpes is spread by kissing and sexual contact so it’s no surprise that 90 per cent of adults are infected with herpes. In most of us the virus lies dormant, sleeping soundly along our nerves only to be woken up when we become over stressed or our immune system takes a dip. There are eight different types of herpes virus, so it doesn’t mean that lip cold sores are due to a STD (important to know before addressing the issue with your partner).

The first time our bodies succumb to the herpes virus we may experience the tingle-burn sensation on your lip and also have to endure a sore throat, fever, nausea and swollen lymph nodes. After that the body will have recognised the virus and then you are left to deal with the sporadic outbreaks of cold sores.

But the outcomes can be much more serious for young babies who encounter the herpes virus, as their immune systems have not developed sufficiently to fight it off – a single kiss from someone with a cold sore can lead to severe complications in newborns and can even be fatal.

At the moment there are treatments to reduce the symptoms of a cold sore with the common antiviral medicines such as Zovirax and Valtrex. The amino acid Lysine has also been suggested as a defence against cold sores. Although theoretically it should work, the research doesn’t strongly support its effectiveness as yet in low doses and before starting it you need to consult your doctor.

Scientists at the Fred Hutch laboratory in the United States, who have carried out successful gene-editing research which has involved destroying the virus with enzymes. They’re hoping it might be the catalyst for creating a medicine which will eradicate the herpes simplex virus entirely.