Human papillomavirus can infect the mouth and throat as well as the genital area. Most infections clear without causing illness, but persistent infection with certain high-risk types can contribute to cancer.
HPV is a large family of viruses transmitted through close skin-to-skin contact, including sexual contact. Oral HPV may be transmitted during oral sex. It has become increasingly recognized as a cause of some cancers of the oropharynx—the back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils.
What is HPV?
HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection. There are many HPV types. Most do not cause cancer, and many infections are temporary. A smaller group of “high-risk” types can cause several cancers, including cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal and oropharyngeal cancers. The National Cancer Institute offers a detailed HPV and cancer fact sheet.
HPV-16 is the type most often associated with HPV-related cancers of the mouth and throat. Other types can cause noncancerous warts in the mouth, larynx or throat. Oral HPV is not the same as a cancer diagnosis: most people with an infection do not develop cancer.
Who is at risk for oral HPV?
Anyone exposed to HPV can acquire an oral infection. Risk tends to rise with a greater number of lifetime sexual partners, tobacco use and a weakened immune system. Research has found oral HPV to be more prevalent among men than women, although infection can affect people of any sex or sexual orientation.
Oral health may matter, too. Gum disease and poor dental hygiene may make oral tissues more vulnerable. Read more about oral health and HPV prevention.
Why is oral HPV more common in men?
The difference is not fully understood. Possible explanations include patterns of exposure and differences in how immune responses develop and clear infection. Biological and behavioral factors may both contribute, and population-level findings cannot predict an individual person’s risk.
Does genital HPV affect oral HPV risk?
Having a high-risk genital HPV infection is associated with a greater likelihood of also having high-risk oral HPV. It does not mean that an oral infection or cancer is inevitable. A clinician can explain what a test result means in the context of personal history.
Does the HPV vaccine protect against oral HPV?
HPV vaccination protects against types responsible for most HPV-related cancers, including HPV-16. Evidence indicates that vaccination can reduce oral infection with vaccine-targeted types and is expected to prevent related oropharyngeal cancers. Recommendations have evolved since vaccines were first introduced, so ask a clinician whether routine or catch-up vaccination is appropriate for you. Also see the HPV vaccine and teens and HPV vaccination and oral cancer.
Are there screening tests for oral HPV?
There is no standard, recommended screening test for oral HPV in people without symptoms, and an oral HPV test is not the same as an oral cancer screening. Because most infections clear and only a small proportion lead to cancer, detecting viral material does not reliably show who will become ill.
Seek prompt medical or dental advice for a persistent mouth or throat sore, a lump, red or white patch, ongoing hoarseness, pain or difficulty swallowing, unexplained ear pain, or a neck mass. Many conditions can cause these signs, but symptoms that persist should be assessed rather than self-diagnosed.
How is oral HPV managed?
There is no treatment that directly eliminates an asymptomatic oral HPV infection. The immune system clears many infections over time. If HPV causes a lesion, a health professional will identify the type of lesion and recommend care. Treatment varies and may include removal or, for cancer, specialist therapies such as surgery, radiation or systemic treatment.
How can you reduce the risk?
Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent infection with the HPV types covered by the vaccine. Avoiding tobacco, maintaining regular dental care and using barrier methods during sexual contact can also reduce risk, although barriers do not cover every area through which HPV may pass. Open communication with partners and appropriate clinical care support informed choices.
