As a world-class cosmetic dental practice committed to remaining at the forefront of technology, Atlanta Smiles & Wellness uses laser technology to safely and effectively treat an array of dental issues, including gum disease, yellowed or discolored teeth, and gum recession. Our team is pleased to now offer laser therapy for cold sores (also known as fever blisters or herpetic ulcers). Learn more about this minimally invasive treatment in this blog post.
What Causes Cold Sores?
Cold sores are caused by a common and highly contagious herpes virus known as the herpes simplex type 1, which is among more than 80 known herpes viruses. Although generally benign, the herpes simplex type 1 produces painful and often unsightly sores on the lips and surrounding skin. The virus spreads to others by oral contact.
Herpes simplex type 1 remains dormant until it is activated by stress, a weakened immune system, surgery, fever or other triggers. When this occurs, an outbreak of cold sores appears, lasting an average of seven to 10 days.
15 Minute Laser Treatment for Cold Sores
At Atlanta Smiles & Wellness, Drs. Giesler and Kovitch can treat mouth sores and ulcers using a soft tissue laser. During treatment, patients wear protective eye wear while the dentist uses the handheld laser device. Laser energy painlessly penetrates through the skin to reach the virus that causes the lesion to form. It destroys the virus and seals off the nerve endings to prevent the virus from spreading any further. Treatment usually takes no more than 15 minutes to complete.
Laser therapy for cold sore treatment offers a number of benefits. Treatment is quick and most patients feel almost immediate pain relief. Laser energy painlessly destroys the lesion and leaves no scarring. Although herpetic lesions do tend to form on the same areas over and over again, laser therapy can minimize the chance of reoccurrence. In fact, some patients have noticed that the treated site is cleared permanently.
Cold sores and herpetic ulcers are best treated in their beginning stages. If you feel a cold sore beginning to form, our dentists can perform laser therapy to prevent the lesion from forming.
To schedule an in-office consultation with either Dr. Giesler or Dr. Kovitch, contact Atlanta Smiles & Wellness by calling (404) 262-7733 or emailing us today.