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Can You Have Herpes Inside Your Mouth?

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is the virus that causes cold sores. Although these generally appear outside the mouth, they can appear in some parts of the mouth. Only a physician can determine if a particular manifestation of oral sore is a canker (not caused by herpes) or a cold sore.

  1. Effects

    • According to the Mayo Clinic, most cold sores occur on the lips or other parts of the face, although some cold sores do form on the gums or on the hard palate. Cold sore sufferers experience a condition of tingling or burning in the area where sores will occur in the time leading up to the outbreak. Cold sores appear as red blisters that break, releasing fluid, finally crusting over and becoming yellowish.

    Transmission

    • HSV-1 is remarkably easy to spread, in the presence or absence of an outbreak. The virus is spread through skin-to-skin contact and also through shared items like towels and utensils; this is most likely to occur during an outbreak, but may also happen between outbreaks through a process called asymptomatic viral shedding. HSV-1 infection is common, according to Jennifer S. Smith of the International Agency for Research on Cancer and N. Jamie Robinson of GlaxoSmithKline Research and Development, and the prevalence of HSV-1 infection in the United States is 68 percent.

    Treatment

    • Antivirals are the primary treatment for cold sores, although the Mayo Clinic notes that most cold sores clear up on their own in a week or slightly longer. Antiviral treatments include acyclovir, valacyclovir and famciclovir, and be prescribed as a preventative measure if a patient has frequent outbreaks. There is no cure for oral herpes.

    Complications

    • HSV-1 is sometimes transmitted from the mouth of one partner to the genital region of another partner, triggering a genital herpes infection. However, most genital herpes cases are caused by HSV-2, a related virus. The Mayo Clinic recommends avoiding close contact with immunosuppressed people, including infants, as infection may have worse effects in these groups. People with cold sores sometimes self-infect their eyelids or eyes, and the Mayo Clinic reports that this can lead to blindness.

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