Herpes Tongue




Herpes tongue is a variation of cold sore herpes (oral herpes). In addition, herpes simplex type 1 is responsible for 80% of herpes in the mouth infections, and herpes simplex type 2 causes the rest.

Normally, HSV-1 occurs above the waist and HSV-2 occurs below the waist. However neither genital nor oral herpes are site specific. This means that both types can infect any part of the body.

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Identification


Herpes on the tongue is a rare reinfection usually caused by cold sore infections known as "herpes labialis" (herpes simplex type 1). 

As well as infecting the tongue, it can also infect:

  • Gums
  • Hard palate
  • Alveolar ridge (a ridge that forms the borders of the upper and lower jaws and contains the teeth sockets.

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Causes


  • Using a toothbrush belonging to an infected person
  • Sharing infected crockery and cutlery such as spoons, forks, cups or drinking vessels.
  • Sharing food from the same plate with an infected individual.
  • French kissing a person with a cold sore herpes infection
  • Genital herpes and oral sex: performing oral sex with an infected person
  • Autoinoculation (see Herpetic Whitlow). This happens if a newly infected infant, child, teenager, or adult sucks his or her thumb or licks a cold sore on the lip

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A first or “primary” infection of herpes tongue is usually accompanied by flu-like symptoms together with tender swollen lymph nodes in the neck and/or groin.

Symptoms


  • A painful throat making swallowing difficult.
  • Shallow ulcers at the entrance to the throat.
  • A grayish coating on the tonsils in teenagers and young adults.
  • Clusters of blisters form, usually on the edge of the tongue. These watery blisters contain a yellowish fluid that is highly contagious.
  • Once the blisters burst, they form shallow ulcers; these ulcers may or may not crust over, depending on tongue movement and the amount of saliva present.

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Canker Sores


Canker sores, or "aphthous ulcers," are often confused with oral herpes.

These occur:

  • On the inner cheeks
  • Inside the lower lip
  • On the tongue
  • On the hard palate
  • The gums... never on the lip outside the mouth

The ulcerations are not contagious and they form without first developing fluid filled blisters. In addition, they are small (between 3 mm and 10 mm in diameter), gray or yellowish, round, and have a distinctive bright red rim.

When these ulcers are white or light gray, they are extremely painful and the affected lip may swell.

Canker sores usually last about 1 week and disappear without treatment.



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Treatment


Topical ointments and salves are of no use if a person has cold sores inside the mouth. Therefore, your doctor may prescribe painkillers together with oral antiviral medication, such as:

  • Aciclovir (Zovirax)
  • Valaciclovir (Valtrex)
  • Famciclovir (Famvir)
  • Penciclovir

One of the most effective method of controlling tongue herpes or herpes inside the mouth, is to apply the oral homeopathic spray, "Herpeset" under the tongue three times a day during the outbreak.

In addition, follow the general guidelines laid out in Treating a Cold Sore for optimum results.

Next: Herpes and Pregnancy


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