I have medical knowledge yes.
Acyclovir it's an anti viral used for herpes infections such as chickenpox, cold sores, genital herpes. It can't cure the virus, but it can suppress it. For example, some people with hsv2 (genital herpes) take a tablet every day and they don't get any outbreaks, our very few anyway. But they will always have the virus in them.
Oral herpes is no big deal. I have it myself since being a kid and I get one or two outbreaks a year now. I don't bother with any medication as such.
As for testing for it, in the UK NHS clinics they can only do a swob test. This is unrealiable however as they must get viral fluid on the swob and the swob must be taken with 48 hours of the sore appearing. Privately you can get a herpes UGH blood test done which looks for the specific HSV1 and HSV2 antibodies, though again, it's not 100% accurate, but doesn't need a sore to be present.
Did the gum clinic take a swob to diagnose you?