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Are Canker Sores and Cold Sores Contagious?



Your first question may be, how do you know if you have a canker sore or a cold sore?  There is a basic and easy answer to this question.  According to the ADA, American Dental Society, a canker sore occurs within the mouth and a cold sore usually occurs outside of the mouth.  Fortunately, they don't last forever and heal on their own.



Cold sores are a virus, they are contagious, and there is no cure

The precise cause of canker sores in unclear, although there are some causes and factors that could be under consideration.  Some causes are:
  • Toothpastes and mouth rinses containing sodium lauryl sulfate
  • Food sensitivities, particularly to chocolate, coffee, strawberries, eggs, nuts, cheese and highly acidic foods, such as pineapple
  • A diet lacking in vitamin B-12, zinc, folate (folic acid) or iron
  • An allergic response to certain bacteria in your mouth
Although, cold sores should go away within a couple of weeks, some people prefer to take over-the-counter medications or doctor prescribed medications, some which are listed below. According to the ADA, American Dental Association, a cold sore is a virus and is in the same category as the common cold, in that there is no cure and they are contagious.

Canker sores are not contagious, therefore, cannot be spread from one person to another


HIV infected patients may also develop canker sore like ulcers. This should be taken into consideration if a herpes ulceration lasts longer than a month because it could be the first signs of an infection with the HIV virus.

You can't reinfect yourself with the herpes virus, but you can infect others, so you shouldn't share your lip balm or lipstick with others.

Going one step further in the development of oral cancer, the Oncology Channel, developed and monitored by board certified physicians, states that the best way to avoid developing oral and oropharyngeal cancers and prevent recurrence is to quit using tobacco products and limit alcohol use.

According to the Leiden University Medical Center in The Netherlands, Many patients do not consult their general practitioners, but use over-the-counter medication to treat cold sores and fever blisters. Treatment with indifferent (zinc oxide and zinc sulfate), anesthetic, or antiviral cream has a small favorable effect on the duration of the symptoms, if applied promptly. This is also the case with oral antiviral medications, such as Orajel Instant Pain ReliefHurriCaine Topical Anesthetic Gel works the best, as it is the same gel that dentists apply to the inside of your mouth before an injection to numb the mouth.

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Over the Counter medications
Orabase by Colgate
Zilactin-B Canker Sore Gel by Zila Pharmaceuticals
Canker Sores Begone by Robin Barr Enterprises, Inc.
Bloc Osma Alum Block
Canker-Rid by Durham's Bee Farm


Prescription only medications
Aphthasol sold by Discus Dental
Lidex by Medicis
Zovirax by GlaxoSmithKline

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