Hpv through oral sex

Most sexually active people will contract human papillomavirus HPV at some point in their lifetime. HPV spreads by skin-to-skin contact. Most people contract HPV in their genital area through sexual intercourse. If you engage in oral sex, you may contract it in your mouth or throat. This is most commonly known as oral HPV. Oral HPV often has no symptoms.

Diagram of the oral cavity and oropharynx. The oral cavity includes the lips, the labial and buccal mucosa, the front two-thirds of the tongue, the retromolar pad, the floor of the mouth, the gingiva, and the hard palate. The oropharynx includes the palatine and lingual tonsils, the back one-third base of the tongue, the soft palate, and the posterior pharyngeal wall. Human papillomavirus HPV can cause serious health problems, including warts and cancer. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. Of the more than types of HPV, about 40 types can spread through direct sexual contact to genital areas, as well as the mouth and throat.

No studies have shown a definitive link between kissing and contracting human papillomavirus HPV. However, some research does suggest that open-mouth kissing could make HPV transmission more likely. So what does that mean for you and your partners? We know for sure that oral sex can transmit HPV. Some cross-sectional studies show that performing more oral sex over the course of a lifetime makes a person more likely to contract oral HPV.

HPV oral and oropharyngeal cancers are harder to discover than tobacco related cancers because the symptoms are not always obvious to the individual who is developing the disease, or to professionals that are looking for it. They can be very subtle and painless. A dentist or doctor should evaluate any symptoms that you are concerned with, and certainly anything that has persisted for two or more weeks. Although there are many adjunctive oral cancer screening devices and tests, currently none of them can find HPV positive oral and oropharyngeal cancers early. The best way to screen for HPV related oral and oropharyngeal cancer today is through a visual and tactile exam given by a medical or dental professional, who will also do an oral history taking to ask about signs and symptoms that cover things that are not visible or palpable.