Other Cold Sore Preventatives
There are no proven preventatives. However, if you’ve never had a cold sore, avoid skin to skin contact with someone who has one. If you have had a cold sore in the past, figure out what your triggers are. For example, if sunlight causes your cold sores, wear sunscreen. According to Cedars Sinai, if you start treatment as soon as you feel a cold sore coming on, healing time may be faster.
Cold sores are a painful annoyance. Toothpaste may or may not provide relief or shorten healing time. Taking antivirals and over-the-counter pain medication can help you manage an outbreak. If you’ve had cold sores before, try and figure out what is triggering them and treat that. If you get cold sores often, you should let your healthcare provider know.