There is no sure way to prevent a sore throat. To help reduce your risk:

• Drink enough fluids to prevent dehydration.
• Wash your hands often, especially when you are around people who are sick.
• Identify and avoid irritants, such as smoke, fumes, or yelling, that cause a sore throat.
• Do not smoke or use other tobacco products and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke. For more information, see the topic Quitting Tobacco Use.
• Avoid contact with people who have strep throat.
• If you have mononucleosis, do not share eating or drinking utensils to prevent spreading the virus to others. A brief kiss on the lips is not likely to spread EBV; it is spread when saliva from an infected person enters another person's mouth.