What Causes Cold Sores?
Article Sources
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- 2. World. (2020, January 5). Herpes simplex virus. Who.Int; World Health Organization: WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus
- 3. Hall, O. J., Klein, S. L. (2017). Progesterone-based compounds affect immune responses and susceptibility to infections at diverse mucosal sites. Mucosal Immunology, 10(5), 1097–1107. Nature Research. https://doi.org/10.1038/mi.2017.35
- 4. Cold Sore Triggers: Do Certain Foods Cause Outbreaks? (2020, January 27). Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-sore-triggers
4. Sharing Utensils or Other Belongings
Cold sores can also be spread by sharing utensils and other belongings that come into contact with a person’s mouth. This can include sharing drinks, lip balm, face towels, toothbrushes, and even bed sheets. People who have a cold sore should not share any of these items with anyone, even their spouse or other family members.
Individuals with a cold sore should also refrain from kissing other people, especially young babies. Caution should be taken during sexual intercourse, and oral sex should be avoided as cold sores on the mouth can spread to the genitals and surrounding area. Fortunately, herpes does not live on surfaces outside of the body for long periods of time.
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