So, You Have A Date?

(A Valentine Special Series Part I)

There's nothing more turning off when you have a bad breath. I could imagine how your date will react when you are in your romantic mood in a restaurant or in a park maybe and you start to talk..eeeewww.. your date keeps a distance from you because of the foul smell when you talk. The bad thing is, you're not aware of it.

What is one of the causes of bad breath? I asked my Stepmom.

It's more likely dental problems, she replied.

What kind of dental problem may cause it? I followed through.

Cold sores she replied.

Cold Sores (fever blisters) are small red blisters that appear on the lip and the outer edge of the mouth. They often weep a clear fluid and form scabs after a few days. They are sometimes confused with impetigo which usually develops between the nose and the upper lip. They fluid that weeps from impetigo is cloudy and honey colored, not clear.

Cold sores are caused by a herpes virus. Most people will get cold sores at some point. Herpes virus (chicken pox is another kind) stay in the body after the first infection. Later, something that triggers the virus causes it to become active again. Cold sores may appear after colds fevers, exposure to the sun, and stressful times. They may also occur during menstruation, sometimes they appear for no apparent reason. This is preventable she said.

Prevention

• Avoid kissing someone who has a cold sore and avoid direct skin contact with genital herpes sores. Both type of herpes can affect either the mouth or genitals. Use condoms to help reduce risk.

• Use sunscreen on you lips or wear a hat if exposure to the sun seems to trigger the cold sores.

• Reduce stress may help in some cases.


Home treatment

• At fist sign of cold sore, tingling or prickling at the sit, apply ice in the area. It will help reduce the severity of the sore.

• Apply petroleum jelly, (Vaseline) to ease crackling and dryness.

• Paste a made of cornstarch and a little water.