The herpes virus can cause thrush and sores on the mouth, tongue, cheek or inner part of the lips which is an infection known as Herpetic Stomatitis or Herpetic Gingivostomatitis. Stomatitis is a condition that causes inflammation, pain or swelling in the mouth, which can have different causes, in which case Herpetic Stomatitis is caused specifically by the herpes virus HSV type 1 and rarely by type 2.
This infection is more common in babies between 6 months and 5 years of age, sometimes also in young people, which can arise when there is contact with the virus.
Main Symptoms
The main symptoms caused by Herpetic Stomatitis include:
- Small sores or sores on the gums, tongue, cheek or inner part of the lips.Redness in the gums; Pain in the mouth; Bleeding and bad breath in the mouth; Malaise and irritability Swelling and tenderness in the mouth;
In addition, in the most severe cases there may also be difficulties in speaking or eating and loss of appetite due to pain caused by ulcers and sores that appear in the mouth, and episodes of fever may also appear.
When this problem arises in babies it is known as Stomatitis Herpética Infantil and causes a lot of malaise, irritability, bad breath and fever in the baby.
How the treatment is done
The treatment for herpetic stomatitis lasts between 10 to 14 days and is done with antiviral drugs in tablets or ointments, such as Acyclovir or Zovirax for example.
In addition, it is also important to drink plenty of water during treatment to maintain hydration, as well as acidic foods such as orange, passion fruit, lemon or pineapple which can irritate the wounds and cause more pain should be avoided.
To avoid the discomfort of symptoms, it is also recommended that a more liquid or pasty diet be made, based on creams, soups, porridges, purees and porridge.
