Caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), Oral Herpes is an infection that results in sores on your lips, chin, gums, inside your cheeks, or roof of the mouth.  Cold sores or fever blisters are common and are the primary outbreaks of Oral Herpes.  More than 50% of adult Americans are infected with the Oral Herpes, and children can contract the virus if they receive a kiss from a friend or relative who is infected.  The infection transmits when there is direct contact between the infected area on one person and broken skin or mucus on an uninfected person.  

When a person contracts the virus, they may develop flu-like symptoms that include fever, swollen lymph nodes, or body aches.  A person will experience symptoms 2-12 days after being infected with the virus, but most people experience symptoms after 4 days.  Signs or symptoms may last 2 weeks, but this varies from person to person.  Symptoms include:

• Oral Sores (on the lips, chin, gums, inside of the cheeks, or roof of the mouth)
• Pain, Burning, or Itching (at the infection site before sores appear)
• Fever
• Body Aches
• Swollen Lymph Nodes
• Pain When Swallowing
• Painful Throat with Possible Ulcers (rare, but this can affect people in their 20s)

Most cases of Oral Herpes are the result of the HSV-1 virus, but about 20% of cases can be caused by HSV-2.  The Oral Herpes virus enters the body through small cuts, abrasions, breaks in the in skin, or through mucus membranes.  A person gets infected with the virus when the area of an infected person contacts a break in that person's skin or mucus membrane. A person with Oral Herpes does not have to have an open sore to transmit the virus.  The sores can be recurring because the virus stays alive in nerve cells.  Causes are listed below:

• Coming in Contact with an Infected Person
• Having a Weakened Immune System
• Having a Pre-existing STD
• Having Multiple Sex Partners
• Touching Something (such as a towel, dish, sponge, or razor that has been touched by an infected area of someone with Oral Herpes) 

• Try to establish a mind/body connection by either practicing meditation or seeing a practitioner for guided imagery or clinical hypnosis.  You can similarly learn these techniques through self-training.  The goal is to have positive mental affirmations that make it acceptable to have the herpes virus if it stays dormant.  While this method doesn't get rid of it, it helps suppress outbreaks.
• It's a good idea to avoid eating the L-arginine amino acid, which can be found in chocolate, peas, or nuts and seeds, as it can promote Oral Herpes outbreaks.  Switching to a more plant-based diet can also be beneficial to your overall health because you'll be getting the purest forms of nutrients from fruits and vegetables.  You can also avoid meat products, dairy products, sugar, salt, alcohol, and tobacco to further enhance your health. 
• One of the easiest methods to supress a herpes sore or provide pain relief is by putting ice on the affected area.  To avoid spreading the virus, place ice in a bag and put it on the sore for 10-15 minutes in order to reduce the swelling and itching. 
• You can help remedy your oral sores by using baking soda.  Dip a cotton ball in baking soda, dab it on the infected area, and that should help stop itchiness and dry out oozing blisters.  To avoid contamination, do not dip the cotton ball back in the baking soda box. 
• Herbal teas can help reduce the swelling of open sores.  Turmeric, cinnamon, chamomile, ginger, or goldenseal tea have incredible anti-viral and anti-inflammatory benefits that can decrease swelling and help stop the itchiness. 
• Consider taking part in our Full Body Cleanse to help naturally rid the body of toxins and waste.  You can then follow up the cleanse with the Anti-V Cleanse, which is designed to naturally boost the immune system.  You can repeat the Anti-V Cleanse to help lower your viral load. 
• If you have sores inside your mouth or in your throat, you can drop a few drops of tea tree oil in a glass of water and gargle that in your throat.  
• Echinacea has powerful anti-viral properties and it is known for boosting the immune system.  You can consume echinacea in the form of herbal capsules, tea, or use its extract to help decrease symptoms of Oral Herpes. 

• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Beets
• Sweet Potatoes
• Lima Beans
• Dark Leafy Greens (spinach, kale, & chard)
• Herbal Teas
• Ginger
• Turmeric
• Echinacea
• Apples
• Figs
• Mangoes
• Apricots
• Pears