How long to wait

[nickname08]

About two weeks ago I got a small cold sore on my lip.  I haven't had one in more than five years.  I used Abreva and it seems to have gone away.  But I haven't been able to find out how long to wait to be safe kissing the woman I'm dating.  Nobody at the clinic I went to wanted to do a culture, and they all told me I was paranoid and not to worry.  This strikes me as irresponsible no?  I plan to ask my gf if she ever gets cold sores.  How much does her answer affect our safety.  If she has been able to avoid herpes1 so far I don't want to be responsible for giving it to her even though that might be a forgone conclusion at this point.  In short, what are the signs that the cold sore is GONE, and does it matter anyway?  Have I already given herpes1 to her just by kissing her shortly before I got an infection?  These seem like very simple questions, but nobody wants to answer me.  Please help.  Thank you.

[nickname08]

Thanks, that helps.  Nope, haven't forgotten about STDs.  I get a full checkup every six months which is why everybody seems to think I'm paranoid.  It's definitely worth a conversation though. Anyway, I appreciate the help.

[gracefromHHP]

If you can't see where it was then it's gone.  

definitely talk to your gf about this.  Don't forget to talk about std's too - it's way more than just your oral herpes.  

did you already pass it onto her? It depends if she already has hsv1 or not too but only time will tell.  Most adults have hsv1 orally - it's incredibly common.  

grace