This got you talking: Do you delay caring for patients with cold sores?

Cold sores are one of those topics that should be straightforward, yet somehow they still spark debate in the operatory. We asked whether hygienists delay care for patients with active cold sores, and the responses came in fast, firm, and in some cases, painfully personal. From strict two-week reschedules to hard-won lessons about occupational exposure, this comment section makes one thing clear: this isn’t about being difficult or inconvenient—it’s about safety, boundaries, and the very real consequences of ignoring them. Here’s what you had to say.

Reschedule for two weeks later, however I think I’m going to change it to three weeks. It’s not worth infecting myself or reinfecting the client.—Anon.

Dismiss and reschedule after two weeks. I try to educate my patients when I see this on medical history what our protocol is when someone has a cold sore.—Nannette K.

I never had the herpes virus until I was in my thirties. I was forced to work on a patient with an active cold sore. A small bit of their saliva hit my forehead, and now I get extremely large and angry cold sores in that spot. I had the primary outbreak that covered half my face the first time. I am so angry about this, and there is literally nothing I can do. I risk herpetic encephalitis because of the location as well. Just dismiss the patient every time. It's for your health.—Nikki S.

I reschedule if it's open and fresh. I inspect it very closely to make sure it's the right amount of crusted before I'll agree to work on them.—Kayle E.

I feel like the doctors don’t understand the seriousness of this and tend to say it is OK to work on patients with cold sores.—Teresa H.

We reschedule every time. It is a safety risk for the patients and us. We can spread the virus to other parts of their face, risk herpetic whitlow if a glove breaks, risk blindness if their saliva were to spray into an eye. As long as that lesion is present, the virus is actively in their saliva. Always book these patients back a minimum of two weeks out.—Shannon B.

Reschedule. Even being scanned over doesn’t matter ... you can still spread it to yourself (aerosols) and back to the patient in other places. Hard pass.—Stacey L.

I always recommend rescheduling, but not every office I have worked for agrees to do that. Campho Phenique seems to work best!—Leeann L.

We laser cold sores for $25.—Anon.

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