oral herpes

What Does Oral Herpes Look Like: Diseases You Need to Prevent

What does oral herpes look like? Scientists have a fancy name for your mouth’s ecosystem; they call it the “human oral microbiome” capable of developing oral herpes, for instance.

A big part of the microbiome is bacteria. A single mouth can be home to more than 6 billion bacteria, an impressive number when compared to the 7.3 billion total human population of earth. Those billions of oral bacteria live in diverse communities, where they go about the business of life: being born, working, feeding, defecating, mating, and dying.

Yes, all this is happening right now in your mouth. And like most urban areas, your mouth has safe and scary neighborhoods. The bad guys are Streptococcus mutans, which feed on sugar and starchy carbs and then produce acids that erode your tooth enamel. Streptococcus mutans is the primary cause of tooth decay and other oral diseases.

Porphyromonas gingivalis isn’t a regular resident of your mouth but shows up when you have gum disease (Periodontitis and Gingivitis) or oral herpes. Left to running amok, it will destroy gum tissue and the alveolar bone that supports your teeth. There are also friendly, helpful microbes, too, good bacteria (probiotics) that can support your overall health as well as oral wellness. Other members of the 700 different strains of bacteria that potentially live in your mouth are neither helpful nor harmful – at least as far as we know.

What Does Oral Herpes Look Like?

People may be surprised that herpes virus infections of both type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) are very common. 85% of people on this planet have been infected with at least one type of herpes. Oral herpes is an infection of the mouth, gums, or lips due to the herpes simplex virus. This infection causes small, painful blisters, fever blisters or cold sores.

what does oral herpes look like
what does oral herpes look like

Most patients with HSV are asymptomatic; this means that they will not show or experience any symptoms. Others will notice lesions or sores. These lesions or sores look like blisters filled with fluid. Over a few days, these lesions ooze, break open, and form a crust before healing. People may also notice itching, tingling, or burning feeling a few days before the lesions appear. Some people may feel some flu-like symptoms, including fever and muscle aches.

Some people may feel some flu-like symptoms, including fever and muscle aches. Someone who gets the infection will commonly have their first lesions, sores, or an outbreak, between 2 and 20 days later. These lesions may last up to a week or maybe ten days. An outbreak may include a single lesion or a cluster of sores. Wounds affect the skin around your mouth. The blisters can take between two and four weeks to heal. If you have more doubts and still wondering what oral herpes looks like, send us a message, and we can help you.

What Are The Most Common Mouth Diseases From Bacteria?

The bacteria in your mouth (at least the bad ones) can cause viruses (like oral herpes or gum disease), tooth decay, gum disease, and other common infections in both kids and adults. Some of these infections can be prevented with proper oral hygiene.

mouth bacterias

Dental Caries

Dental caries is the primary result of tooth decay, and one of the most common oral infections out there. be Known as the leading cause of tooth loss in children under 12, according to Dr. Neal R. Chamberlain at A.T. Still University, and is due to the bacteria, “Streptococcus mutans.”

Gingivitis

Various bacteria cause gingivitis – the medical term for early gum disease – and when they settle in the gum’s crevices (at the gum line and below it), these bacteria produce toxins.

The gums react to these toxins with inflammation and swelling, which is why your gums may bleed when you brush your teeth. Between 50 and 90 percent of adults have gingivitis, which, if left untreated, leads to periodontal disease. The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) states that when certain bacteria are breathed into the lungs, they can cause pneumonia.

Periodontal Disease

Gingivitis spreads below the gum line and affects the bone and supporting tissues which can cause periodontal disease to occur. Pockets form around the teeth, giving way to inflammation and bone loss, at which point these teeth can loosen due to this bone destruction.

Eight to 10 percent of adults have periodontal disease, the most common cause of tooth loss. It can also make a chronic lung condition worse, even if it’s already present.

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

Toddlers and school-aged children are most likely to develop hand, foot, and mouth disease, explains the University of Chicago, and the virus “Coxsackie A16” is usually responsible. After one to two days of a sore throat and fever, slightly painful blisters can appear inside the cheeks and the tongue, as well as on the palms, soles, and buttocks. Fortunately, the infection often disappears within three days.

Herpangina

A disease related to the hand, foot, and mouth, herpangina most frequently infects children aged three to 10 during the summer and fall.

Fever, sore throat, and difficulty swallowing are the first symptoms, followed by tiny blisters at the back of the mouth – which form large ulcers when they rupture. A herpangina infection usually lasts three to five days.

Thrush

An overgrowth of the naturally occurring “Candida albicans” fungus causes thrush. Medical treatments such as antibiotics, chemotherapy, and radiation can trigger an outbreak.

White, curd-like plaques appear on the tongue, inner cheeks, palate, and back of the mouth. Thrush is the most common infection in people with HIV.

Canker Sores

Canker sores are lesions that form on the gums and other mouth tissues. Dentists call them aphthous ulcers. Most common in children and adolescents, what causes a isn’t quite clear. But stress, hormones, immune problems, food hypersensitivities, and related infections are all possible triggers. Usually, the sores heal in 10 to 14 days.

Oral Herpes

The Herpes simplex virus causes Oral herpes. And between 50 and 80 percent of adults in the U.S. carry the disease, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center. You can prevent oral herpes. The first infection can cause flu-like symptoms, blisters, and ulcers on the gums and tongue, or there may be no symptoms. The virus has a permanent presence once the infection is in the body.

The infection itself can stay dormant with proper care. Recurring outbreaks are usually milder and last from a week to 10 days. Fluid-filled blisters appear around the mouth and, after a day or two, rupture and form scabs that cause no further discomfort. The child might run a fever, feel irritable, and become tired more quickly if they get oral herpes. A few days after symptoms appear on the gums, ulcers usually appear around the mouth.

After these symptoms disappear, the virus stays in the body, but stress, trauma, sunlight, and cold can cause it to flare up. Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss once a day, both help to prevent tooth decay, gum disease, oral herpes, and periodontal disease. With this routine in tow, your dentist or doctor can help treat other oral infections.

What are teeth made of?

Each tooth is comprised of the following:

Enamel

The outer covering of the tooth, and the strongest, hardest, and most highly mineralized substance in your body.

Enamel is the most visible part of teeth and is a semi-translucent material that ranges from light yellow to grayish-white. Enamel is a barrier that protects your teeth from the ravages of acids and plaque. Enamel does not contain any living cells, and cannot regenerate itself, so it’s critical to preserve it.

Proper oral hygiene – brushing, flossing, regular professional checkups, and cleanings – help to keep your enamel from eroding.

Dentin

This is a layer of living cells that lie underneath the enamel. Dentin is intended to protect the pulp of your teeth and has a direct hotline to the nerves of your teeth. When dentin is exposed due to loss of enamel, you experience that sharp, shooting pain associated with cavities or sensitive teeth. Dentin is also what primarily gives your teeth their color.

Pulp

The living center of your teeth is filled with blood vessels, connective tissue, and nerves. Pulp keeps your teeth nourished and moist. Without pulp, our teeth would resemble dried, bleached bones.

Just like the turkey wishbone that you leave out for a few days following Thanksgiving to become brittle so you can quickly snap it while making a wish. Teeth are held in place by the Tegmentum, a layer of connective tissue that grips teeth to the gums and jawbone.

The periodontal ligament helps hold the teeth to the jaw. You also have gums, upper and lower jaws, a tongue, salivary glands, and a uvula (the dangly ball bit at the back of your mouth). The health of all these structures is directly related to the health of your teeth. Your mouth is a holistic system, and if one part of it is not well, other parts also suffer.

Taking Care of Your Mouth

Thankfully, teeth and your entire mouth can typically be kept healthy and happy with minimal effort. Sometimes you have to work a little harder – pregnancy can cause dental issues, as can medical conditions such as diabetes.

Ask your dentist for advice on managing your mouth. In general, though, dentists advise or schedule an appointment:

Eat Healthily

Skip or limit your intake of simple carbohydrates (like foods made with white flour, and sugar). Those bacteria in your mouth love to snack on sweets and carbs.

Carb-fueled bacteria multiply super-fast and cling to each other, creating a “biofilm,” better known as plaque. Bacterial plaque is the primary cause of 90% of all dental diseases because bacteria secrete acidic waste products. This creates an acidic environment in your mouth that weakens teeth, which may lead to oral herpes, but it can lead to decay. 

You’ll also want to limit acidic foods (citrus fruits, vinegary pickles, etc.) and beverages, such as soda, citrus juices, energy, sports drinks, and wine. Sugar-laden acidic drinks such as citrus juice and sodas can cause double the dental damage, so be especially vigilant about how often you indulge in them. Try to rinse your mouth with water after drinking highly acidic liquids. Acidic foods and drinks can cause dental erosion, a softening of the enamel on your teeth. Which can progress to the dentin, and cause decay. Hold off brushing for about an hour after eating acidic foods, to avoid damaging enamel.

Clean Thoroughly But Gently Twice a Day

Here’s a little more info about your dental enamel – it is comprised of tiny, tightly-packed rods of minerals. You have about 5 million rods in the lower lateral incisor and up to 12 million in the upper first molar. Brushing your teeth with a side-to-side motion goes against the orientation of the enamel rods in your teeth. It can cause the rods to weaken and break. Instead, position your toothbrush bristles at a 45-degree angle to the surface of the teeth and brush gently in small circles.

Dental hygienists advise brushing for three minutes, with a soft brush. Replace the brush every three months – or sooner if the bristles are worn, bent, or frayed. Also, replace your toothbrush if you’ve recovered from a cold, the flu, or another ailment. Germs lurk in your brush’s bristles; they can keep germens that help to develop oral herpes.

You may want to talk to your dentist or dental hygienist about electronic toothbrushes or the newer brushes that use ultrasound to destroy harmful bacteria and debris. Flossing has recently come under fire – there’s no scientific proof of its effectiveness. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is ineffective – it just indicates that no one has spent the money and time necessary to conduct an in-depth study on flossing. The logic seems to suggest that flossing is a very effective way to remove food debris from between the teeth.

Stay hydrated

A dry mouth also puts teeth at increased risk for erosion, as a healthy saliva flow helps protect teeth from exposure to acid. Drink water, and if you’re still feeling parched try rinsing your mouth with a product designed for dry mouth care, and chewing sugarless gum.

See Your Dentist and Hygienist Regularly

No matter how careful you are with home care, regular exams, and professional teeth cleanings are critical.

Checkups involve more than a quick peep at your teeth. Your dentist will screen you for oral cancer, tooth decay, oral herpes, and gum disease. Caught early, these conditions are far easier to manage. Even people super-dedicated to good oral hygiene will inevitably miss a bit of plaque here and there.

Removing tartar is not something that you can do at home. Your dental care team is the absolute best source of information on oral hygiene practices. Addressing your oral health concerns. Don’t wait until a problem arises to check in with your dentist!

Suppose you’ve been skipping regular checkups and cleanings due to budget concerns and no dental insurance. Consider getting a dental savings plan. These plans are an affordable alternative to dental insurance. Providing plan members with discounts of 10%-60% on the majority of dental services. Find out more about what oral herpes looks like here. 

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