Preventing Cold Sores On Your Special Day

Image your wedding day, father’s day, your child’s or even your own graduation...all the pictures and all the memories...

There are ways to prevent a cold sore from happening!

Cold sores usually occur when the body is under stress. During these times, follow these few simple steps and ensure a beautiful smile.

1. One week leading up to your “special day”, being taking L-Lysine. It is sold over the counter. Take two tablets, which is 1000mg, daily.
2. You should already be drinking your daily regimen of 8 cups a day; however, this week, double it to 16 cups.
3. If you are exposed to the sun or live in a hot area, be sure to apply sunscreen to your skin AND lips.
4. If you receive a massage during this week, try to have it more than 48 hours before the event, and even then, make sure you increase your water intake!
5. Eat more Lysine rich foods; for example, yogurt, fish, dark green leafy vegetables.
6. Eat less, or avoid, foods high in arginine, such as chocolate and nuts.

If you feel the onset of a cold sore, however, there are a few more steps you can take.

1. Be sure to take 1000 mg of L-Lysine (which is 2 tabs) three times daily for the duration of the outbreak.
2. Apply “Super Lysine Plus +”, which is a topical application every 2 hours for no more than 11 days to the affected area.
3. If you do have an outbreak, there are anti-viral prescription medications that can be taken in order to speed up the healing process and shorten the cylce of the virus.

Please contact us at (949)748-7373 or SereneDentalCenter.com if you have any further questions regarding this topic.

* Please be advised that it is not recommended to take lysine if you take calcium supplements as it will increase the amount of calcium in the body. These are recommendations for short term use, and should not be used for long term solutions. If you are pregnant, breast-feeding, or have kidney disease, please check with your physician before taking lysine.