What does herpes on the gum look like? Treatment of herpes in the mouth

Why did herpes appear on the gums?

For the virus to make itself felt, two things are enough: its presence in the blood and a weakened immune system.

Infection occurs by airborne droplets and can be transmitted from mother to child. Unfortunately, once you become infected with herpes, you can no longer get rid of it. But you can prevent its activation.

So, after infection, virus particles settle in the body forever. Most of the time the virus does not manifest itself in any way. What factors provoke the manifestation of the virus on the gums? Stress, including sudden nervous shock, chronic depression and fatigue, colds, bacterial and viral diseases, hypothermia, autumn or spring hypovitaminosis. A common cause of the appearance of “bubbles” characteristic of this disease is acclimatization. Are you familiar with the situation when the disease manifests itself on vacation, when changing time zones? Therefore, when planning trips, it is better to immediately stock up on antiviral drugs and ointments.

Causes of oral herpes infection

Herpes that affects the oral cavity develops when infected with the herpes simplex virus type 1, which not only provokes the appearance of a blistering rash, but can also cause complications in 10% of cases. The second type of herpes virus (genital) also causes a rash in the mouth, but does not cause serious disruption to the body and differs in its mode of transmission (through sexual contact).

Most often, primary infection with a herpes virus occurs in childhood, after which it is introduced into the genome and remains in an inactive form for life.

The main routes of infection with a viral agent are close conversation, skin-to-skin contact, kissing, and the use of shared hygiene products or utensils. However, the entry of viral particles into the body does not guarantee that the disease will develop, since the immune system can suppress the action of the pathogen. In this case, situations that worsen the overall health of the body, on the contrary, provoke a clear manifestation of infection:

• surgical interventions;
• emotional and physical stress;
• lack of sleep, overwork;
• colds;
• chronic pathologies;
• long-term use of antibiotics;
• periods of menstruation, pregnancy or lactation;
• vitamin deficiencies;
• AIDS;
• abuse of nicotine or alcohol;
• the appearance of microtraumas from excessive exposure to the sun or frost.

How to recognize herpes

The difficulty is that the symptoms of herpes in the mouth are easily confused with the manifestation of stomatitis and other diseases of the oral mucosa.

Differences:

• as a rule, stomatitis affects a larger area of ​​the oral mucosa compared to herpes;
• swelling with herpes is less: with stomatitis, there may even be traces of teeth on the mucous membrane of the cheeks;
• ulcers that form during stomatitis have more defined boundaries;
• stomatitis often contributes to the appearance of a very dense coating on the tongue; with herpes, such a symptom does not appear;
• very often with stomatitis (especially purulent, with ulcers), the pain is more intense, it intensifies when the disease spreads over a large area of ​​the mucous membrane. The pain is aching, especially in ulcers, and it becomes difficult to eat food, especially hard and hot food.

Photo of herpes on the gum:

If measures are not taken in time, a viral infection can become complicated and take the form of herpetic stomatitis:

How to understand that the virus has been activated? The first symptoms are tingling on the gums, itching and burning sensation. Then the color of the oral mucosa may change, unpleasant swelling appears locally, then a bright red rash appears, and the last stage is the formation of characteristic “bubbles” with liquid. As the disease progresses, the pain intensifies. When bubbles appear (they are called vesicles), the pain becomes cutting, its intensity increases when eating food or hot drinks.

Vesicles are dropsy filled with fluid with a high concentration of virus. Their sizes increase over time and can reach from 1 mm to 1 cm in diameter. At some point they burst, leaving a painful wound. If an infectious infection occurs, the wound becomes covered with a yellow crust, the mucous membrane of the oral cavity is increasingly affected, flowing into diffuse stomatitis.

External symptoms may include:

• increase in body temperature up to 38 degrees;
• chills;
• increase in size of lymph nodes;
• weakness, loss of strength;
• headache.

Such symptoms more often appear in children, with severe disease and the presence of an inflammatory process. In this case, you cannot do without consulting a doctor.

As a rule, the clinical picture of the disease is obvious. If a relapse does not occur for the first time, often the blisters are localized in the same areas: on the inner surface of the cheeks, tongue, gums. Your doctor may prescribe an oral swab to rule out a fungal or bacterial infection.

There are several types of herpes. As a rule, virus strains 1 and 2 appear on the gums. The consequences can be serious, especially if action is not taken promptly. If it was possible to extinguish the external manifestations of the infection, this is not a reason to refuse further treatment. First of all, you need to determine what type of herpes the patient is dealing with: PCR diagnostics will help with this. If you have a herpes infection, you can contact specialists such as an ENT specialist, an infectious disease specialist, or an immunologist. They will help you choose a treatment regimen that will minimize relapses of the disease in the future.

Diagnosis and treatment of herpes infection

It is better to start treatment of herpes in the mouth at earlier stages of development to reduce the risk of complications and reduce the likelihood of infecting other people. In order to identify the disease, specialists carry out diagnostic measures:

• collect anamnesis;
• conduct an examination, determine the location of the rash and its nature;
• take a smear to identify the herpes virus and determine its type;
• laboratory tests are prescribed.

Modern methods for identifying the pathogen are a patient’s blood test to detect antibodies to the pathogen and a PCR study of tissues aimed at searching for the DNA of the viral particle. Differential diagnosis is of great importance, since herpetic infection must be distinguished from other similar diseases: stomatitis (not herpetic), tonsillitis, etc.

How to treat herpes on the lip, tongue or gum? Herpes therapy is based on an integrated approach that combines:

• The use of local antiviral agents to stop the process of reproduction and spread of the pathogen;
• Prescribing antiviral medications for internal use (usually indicated for those whose symptoms occur frequently and acutely, or who are immunosuppressed);
• The use of antiseptic drugs for treating blisters and ulcers, rinsing;
• Use of topical anesthetic gels;
• Prescribing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to alleviate general well-being;
• Strengthening the immune system by taking vitamins and immunomodulators.

To eliminate symptoms, advanced technologies such as laser radiation are also used. The technique allows you to quickly and painlessly destroy viral particles without harming mucosal cells and effectively healing damaged tissue. In most cases, several short procedures are sufficient for complete disappearance of symptoms in 2-4 days.

Antiviral drugs

Their goal is to suppress the pathogen, shorten the duration of the exacerbation, and reduce the intensity of symptoms. The most popular products are Acyclovir and Zovirax in the form of tablets and creams. Using cream in the mouth is difficult, so tablets are optimal. They drink them in a course.

It is better to start treatment at the first signs of the disease. In some cases it can be stopped. Interferon nasal drops have also shown their effectiveness in the initial stages of herpes. At the very least, they prevent the spread of infection into the respiratory tract.

We have already found out that the main reason for the manifestation of herpes is weakened immunity. Conclusion: to avoid relapses, it is necessary to increase the body's defenses. To do this, you should contact an immunologist, who will refer you for diagnostics and prescribe individual treatment. Sometimes it includes immunomodulators - drugs that can increase immunity (Immunal, Imudon and others), folk remedies (for example, echinacea tincture), vitamin and mineral complexes. You can also take specialized complexes of vitamins and minerals, for example, ASEPTA® Parodontal to strengthen teeth and gums: its active components help not only reduce bleeding and inflammation in the oral cavity, but also maintain general immunity.

General recommendations on how to strengthen the body and increase its protection:

• avoid stress, improve sleep;
• include as many fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs in your diet as possible;
• to drink a lot of water;
• exercise or swimming.

In case of exacerbation of herpes on the gums, it is recommended to adhere to a diet: remove spicy, fatty, too hot foods from the diet, exclude hot and alcoholic drinks. To avoid irritating the mucous membranes, avoid smoking.

The difficulty of using creams and ointments is not a reason to refuse local treatment for herpes. Rinsing and irrigating the oral mucosa will help relieve symptoms and prevent the spread of infection. Good products: Hexoral, chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide solution, furatsilin, as well as anesthetic sprays, rinsing solutions, gels with anesthetics (for example, Lidoxor gel, which relieves burning and irritation). Adhesive gum balm ASEPTA® is an effective combined antimicrobial agent that has a wide spectrum of action against gum disease pathogens, thanks to the combination of metronidazole + chlorhexidine, and guarantees long-term fixation on the gums.

Stages of development of herpes in the oral cavity

The disease develops sequentially, including passing through several distinct stages:

• At first, the patient may experience drowsiness, malaise, and tingling or itching of the mucous membrane. Sometimes body temperature rises slightly;
• Next comes redness and swelling of the lesion, minor pain occurs due to the appearance of herpes on the tongue or lip;
• Blisters appear in the oral cavity, filled with transparent contents. During this period, the patient is most contagious, blood counts change;
• The blisters become cloudy and open, and yellowish, shallow, painful ulcers form in their place;
• A hard, fragmented crust forms on the ulcers, damage to which causes bleeding. After a few days, the crusts disappear.

In the best case, the disease resolves naturally within two weeks and without treatment. All wounds heal quickly and without scars.

But there are also complications that lead to infection of internal organs. Suppuration occurs at the site of the wounds, the temperature rises to 40 C. Inflammation of the lymph nodes in the jaw and neck may begin.

Experts' opinion

Research conducted at the Kazan State Academy has determined that the use of preparations from the Asepta line (gels, balms, toothpastes, rinses) increases the effectiveness of treatment of chronic catarrhal gingivitis and other inflammations, mild and moderate chronic periodontitis, hyperesthesia of hard dental tissues, which together significantly reduces the duration of treatment and increases the duration of remission in this category of patients.

Sources:

1. The use of drugs from the Asepta line in the complex treatment of inflammatory periodontal diseases (N.V. Berezina E.N. Silantyeva S.M. Krivonos, Kazan State Medical Academy. Kazan.) N.V. BEREZINA, E.N. SILANTIEVA, S.M. KRIVONOS Kazan State Medical Academy
2. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/sovremennye-lechebno-profilakticheskie-sredstva-dlya-individualnoy-gigieny-polosti-rta Silantieva E.N., Berezina N.V., Krivonos S.M. Complex treatment of chronic recurrent aphthous stomatitis using drugs from the Asept line, Practical Medicine journal
3. Clinical and laboratory assessment of the influence of domestic therapeutic and prophylactic toothpaste based on plant extracts on the condition of the oral cavity in patients with simple marginal gingivitis. Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Elovikova T.M.1, Candidate of Chemical Sciences, Associate Professor Ermishina E.Yu. 2, Doctor of Technical Sciences Associate Professor Belokonova N.A. 2 Department of Therapeutic Dentistry USMU1, Department of General Chemistry USMU2
4. Clinical studies of antisensitive toothpaste “Asepta Sensitive” (A.A. Leontyev, O.V. Kalinina, S.B. Ulitovsky) A.A. LEONTIEV, dentist O.V. KALININA, dentist S.B. ULITOVSKY, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Prof. Department of Therapeutic Dentistry, St. Petersburg State Medical University named after. acad. I.P. Pavlova
5. The role of anti-inflammatory rinse in the treatment of periodontal diseases (L.Yu. Orekhova, A.A. Leontyev, S.B. Ulitovsky) L.Yu. OREKHOVA, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Prof., Head of Department; A.A. LEONTIEV, dentist; S.B. ULITOVSKY, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Prof. Department of Therapeutic Dentistry of St. Petersburg State Medical University named after. acad. I. P. Pavlova
6. Report on clinical trials of anti-inflammatory balm for gums "Asepta" adhesive, St. Petersburg State Medical University, 2007