How long does Acyclovir Buccal stay in your system?
Last updated September 7, 2026.
**Acyclovir buccal has no established time for fully leaving your system, but very little enters your bloodstream.** The tablet, sold as Sitavig, releases medicine locally as it dissolves on your upper gum. In a small study, the median time it stayed attached was 14 hours, which does not tell you when all the medicine leaves your body. Your kidneys remove absorbed acyclovir, so tell your clinician if you have kidney disease. Let the tablet dissolve naturally without chewing, sucking, or deliberately swallowing it.
What to do
- **Start promptly:** Apply your prescribed tablet within one hour of the first tingling or itching, before a cold sore appears.
- **Let it dissolve:** Do not crush, chew, suck, or deliberately swallow your buccal tablet.
- **Protect its placement:** Avoid chewing gum or brushing your teeth while the tablet is attached.
- **Check replacement instructions:** If your tablet falls off within six hours, reposition it or replace it if it will not stick.
- **Discuss kidney disease:** Tell your clinician about kidney problems and other medicines before using acyclovir.
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