Health
Cold Sore vs. Canker Sore: Understanding the Difference
[ad_1]
Cold sores are most commonly caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). This is a common virus — more than 50 percent of Americans ages 14 to 49 carry it.
Many people get the virus as a child after being kissed by someone who is infected.
Some infected people never develop a cold sore because the virus can lie dormant in the body for years.
Certain factors can reawaken the virus and spark a cold sore:
- Exposure to strong sunlight
- Stress
- Tiredness
- A fever or infections
- Hormonal changes
- Facial procedures or laser treatment
HSV-1 and HSV type 2 (HSV-2) are viruses that can cause cold sores, as well as genital herpes. You can get HSV-2 cold sores if you engage in oral sex with someone who has genital herpes, but this isn’t the only way to spread these types of cold sores. A person with HSV-2 cold sores can infect another person through kissing, too.
Likewise, HSV-2 can also be transmitted from a mother’s genital tract to her newborn infant, says Allison Arthur, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at the Sand Lake Dermatology Center in Orlando, Florida.
Canker sores, on the other hand, aren’t caused by the herpes virus. The exact cause of canker sores is unknown. But it’s believed that certain factors can increase your risk. Some people get a canker sore after eating citrus fruits or acidic foods, whereas others develop sores because of a nutritional deficiency (in, for example, vitamin B12, folic acid, or iron).
Certain medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, can also cause canker sores.
Other factors that can trigger a canker sore include smoking, stress, and an injury inside the mouth.
Some autoimmune diseases and a weakened immune system are associated with canker sores as well.
[ad_2]
