By Dr. Iman Sadri
Its winter time and for you cold sore sufferers that usually means more cold sore outbreaks. But this winter and holiday season it doesn’t have to mean another cantankerous canker sore. Not if you visit a laser certified dentist with the capability of zapping them off or even preventing them from appearing. How? With dental laser technology, cold sore lesions on the lip area can be removed within a matter of minutes with little to no scar tissue. Better yet, their eruption can be completely prevented if the lip area that is in the tingling phase is zapped. The tingling sensation, also known as the prodrome phase, is a prelude to a cold sore appearing in that exact area.
The use of lasers in dentistry has been around for more than a decade. It is an innovative adjunct to a profession that is ever so technologically progressive. Customarily, lasers have been used in dentistry as an efficient and non-invasive accessory to periodontal treatment. These treatment modalities include gum tissue curettage, removal of frenums, periodontal pocket reduction, and removal of bone during clinical crown lengthening. Lasers are also innovative in cosmetic dentistry. They are used as an activator of whitening gels during in office teeth bleaching sessions. Its cold sore removal ability is helpful during the cold winter months that trigger such outbreaks.
By definition, cold sores are fever blisters caused by the herpes simplex virus. Canker sores are ulcerations due to acute trauma or an allergic reaction to bacteria. Both canker sores and cold sores can be triggered by fluctuations in temperature combined with a heightened level of stress. Now patients with cold sores no longer have to fear an inconvenient discharge. They can have their laser certified dentist zap the spot during the prodrome phase and no lesion will erupt. So now, you don’t have to let your cold sore tingle ruin your holiday jingle!
