HPV infection in the mouth: what causes it and how it is characterized

Human papilloma virus or HPV is a type of virus that is most often transmitted through sexual contact. Chances are, people who are sexually active will experience HPV infection once in their lifetime. HPV can be easily transmitted because it only requires touch between the skin, including the mouth.

How can HPV infect the mouth?

Oral HPV infection is known as oral HPV. The virus can easily infect when the oral mucosa cannot withstand exposure to the virus, such as because of a wound or gap in the mucosal surface.

The risk of oral HPV transmission tends to be very high when there is a touch of the oral mucosa, such as when having oral sex or kissing, especially when changing partners.

However, there are many other factors that can cause a person to contract HPV infection in the mouth. Smoking is another habit that can interfere with oral health because it makes the oral mucosa more susceptible to HPV infection from the environment. In addition, HPV has about more than 100 subtypes of the virus, making it easier to infect.

Until now, it is still not known exactly how the transmission of HPV infection can occur. Few studies have been conducted but the results tend to be conflicting.

Who is at risk of getting HPV infection in the mouth

Based on statistical data in the United States, HPV infection in the mouth is more common in men. Meanwhile, other factors that can trigger are:

Frequent oral sex and other activities by mouth
Tend to have multiple partners or have had about 20 or more partners
Smoking - hot smoke exhaled from the mouth makes the oral mucosa more vulnerable and can cause open sores
Drinking alcohol often

What are the consequences of getting HPV in the mouth?

Oral HPV can occur without causing symptoms, so an infected person may not be aware of it. HPV infection can cause signs of damage to the mouth or throat, but it tends to be rare. However, oral HPV is strongly associated with oral cancer or oropharyngeal cancer.

About two out of three cancer cells in oropharyngeal cancer cases have HPV DNA with the most common subtype being HPV-1. Oropharyngeal cancer can occur in various parts of the mouth, from the tongue, tonsils and pharynx to the appearance of cancer cells triggered by HPV.

The early symptoms of oropharyngeal cancer are:

Difficulty swallowing
Continuous pain in the mouth adjacent to the ear
Bleeding cough
Sudden weight loss
Enlarged lymph glands
Persistent sore throat
Swelling around the cheeks
Swelling of the neck
Often experiences hoarseness

What are the characteristics of oral HPV?

To date, no test can be done to detect the presence of HPV infection in the mouth. However, the doctor may be able to find a problem with the oral mucosa, for example the presence of a lesion of unknown cause. This can act as an early detection effort before further examination, by examining the biopsy of the part of the oral mucosa that has lesions.

If HPV is found, it can be useful for early treatment or treatment of cancer cells.

What should I do if I have oral HPV?

Most of the oral HPV will go away without causing any health problems. If warts are found on the oral mucosa, then the possible treatment that can be done is to remove them. Either with minor surgery, freeze the area covered with warts (cryotherapy) or by drug injection.

Knowing the presence of HPV or not if you have a tumor or cancer is also necessary for the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer. This is necessary to prevent the recurrence of abnormal cell growth.

How to avoid getting HPV infection in the mouth?

Prevention of oral HPV can be done with HPV vaccination as well as several efforts to reduce the risk of infection, including:

Limit the number of sexual partners
Make sure your partner is free from HPV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases
Avoid having oral sex with strangers
Using condoms when interacting sexually
Check your oral health regularly, especially when you frequently have oral sex
Check your own oral health by noting any abnormal signs on the oral mucosa.