You can get a cold sore from sharing food. The most common ways to get the virus that causes cold sores is from kissing, sharing food, sharing utensils and sharing towels or razors, according to MayoClinc.com. Cold sores typically do not require any treatment and most will subside within two weeks of when they appear. See your doctor for a clinical diagnosis.
Causes
Contracting herpes simplex virus type 1 causes cold sores. The viral infection causes blisters to form on your skin, commonly around your mouth. Related to genital herpes, the infection may cause an outbreak on your face or on the genitals. Once you've contracted this virus, it remains in your nerve cells for the rest of your life. When there are no blisters, the virus lies dormant in your body, which at times may cause itching or sensitivity, according to PubMed Health. Stress, fatigue, exposure to sunlight, fever and menstruation may trigger an outbreak of blisters.
Symptoms
The most common symptoms of cold sores include pain or tingling that begins before the blisters develop. Then small blisters filled with liquid form around your mouth. The lips are the most common place where cold sores will develop but can also form on your chin, fingers or in your nostrils. Call your doctor if you develop cold sores and you have a health condition related to your immune system, if your symptoms are severe, if the sores don't go away within two weeks, if you develop eye irritation, or if your sores come and go, according to MayoClinic.com.
Confusing Sores
People commonly confuse canker sores with cold sores. Canker sores are not contagious and typically develop on the inside of the mouth. If you develop sores after you eat certain foods, the sores are not the result of sharing food, but are most likely the result of a food allergy. Allergic contact dermatitis is a localized allergic reaction that forms small blisters in and around your mouth. Most symptoms do not cause any other allergy symptoms and the blisters subside within an hour, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
Prevention
The most effective way to avoid contracting the viral infection is to practice general hygiene, avoid sharing items and properly sanitizing utensils and shared dishware. If you are aware that someone has genital herpes or cold sores, avoid skin-to-skin contact.
