HPV In Mouth: Symptoms, Preventions, Diagnosis and Treatments
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a common viral condition that nearly everyone encounters at some point in their life. With over 100 types of viruses, HPV is mainly spread through sexual contact and is categorized into two types: low-risk HPV and high-risk HPV. Low-risk HPV infections cause warts (skin growths) on different parts of the body, while high-risk HPV infections can lead to cell changes and potentially cancer. Most HPV strains are harmless and do not cause cancer. Research indicates that about 40% of HPV strains affect the mouth and throat , known as Oropharyngeal Human Papillomavirus, a subtype of HPV. This can result in oral lesions, warts on the tongue, and high-risk infections leading to oral cancer. One particularly dangerous strain is HPV-16. How Do You Get HPV? Beyond sexual transmission, HPV can enter the body through the mouth or through cuts and wounds in the skin. Men are generally more susceptible to oral HPV infections than women. Several factors ca...