A lesion on or around your mouth may be a cold sore. This itchy painful sore is a result of the herpes simplex 1 virus. This virus is transmitted by close interpersonal contact and after the infection will remain in your system for an undetermined amount of time, usually forever.
No one can tell precisely what will trigger an outbreak, sometimes cold sores appear for no apparent reason. That being said there are a few things that have been known to increase the likelihood. One of these is an injury or trauma to the tissue. This prompts the herpes virus to come to the surface creating a painful sore. In some cases, what we eat can play a role in that.
While no food is directly responsible for an outbreak ones that are high in acid content can cause severe irritation of the sore. Tomatoes for example are high in sugar and acid both of which can cause cold sores in some people. This is due in part to an allergic type reaction to the acid or sugar.
If you suffer from food allergies and cold sores, it would be a good idea to avoid tomato and tomato products whenever possible. Allergies sometimes cause abrasions to appear on the skin and these can be just the invitation that a cold sore needs to make a visit.
The high acid content is also extremely painful when it is exposed to an open cold sore. Cold sores are most often found near the mouth this leaves the lesions wide open to the acidic juice in tomato’s and other high acid foods.
You should be aware that there is misconception that tomatoes can actually cause cold sores this is probably because they can cause canker sores in the mouth. The two are similar types of sores but have different pathology.
Canker sores are normally found inside the mouth and are not caused by the herpes virus, and they can be caused by highly acidic food like the tomato. It is a good idea to see a medical professional to determine which type of lesion you have. Although it is rare, it is possible to get the HSV sores inside the mouth especially during initial infection. Knowing the difference between these two will lead you to correct treatment and a more speedy recovery.