Not just smoking and drinking but oral sex can also lead to cancer

Oral sex or cunnilingus reduces the risks of HIV viruses. But don't be too happy because it increases the chances of getting a mouth or throat cancers

By: Shreya Biswas |
September 20, 2017 4:05 pm

No matter who is going down on whom, oral sex can be extremely pleasurable and there is no denying that. It is hands down one of the most enjoyable things when done right. But hey, let us stop right there. Life’s every pleasure like smoking, drinking, etc comes with a demerit, doesn’t it? Well, there might be a low risk of HIV infection from oral sex but it surely does have other downsides. Research has found out that oral sex can increase the risk of developing cancer of the mouth and throat. Yep, you heard that right! It is not just smoking and drinking that can lead to cancer.

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Sex- oral sex to be more precise, can lead to cancer. Some types of oral cancer are linked to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the mouth and throat. The types of HPV found in our mouth are mostly sexually transmitted, so it’s likely that oral sex is the primary route of getting them.

According to a survey by NHS Choices, “Around 25% of mouth and 35% of throat cancers are HPV-related, but the exact figures vary between different studies, possibly due to different ways of testing for the virus, or varying levels of smoking and other risk factors.”

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The highest risk of contracting oral HPV and developing HPV-related throat cancer is when a person has more than one sex partners and it increases the risk in both the male and female involved in the act. The HPV virus is incredibly common.

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According to doctors, if a person is sexually active, it is likely that they will contract HPV virus once in a lifetime. However, not all of them cause cancer. Out of the 40 strains that can cause an infection, some strains are particularly bad, known as ‘high risk’. The strain which is most commonly associated with throat cancer is HPV 16.

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(Source: NHS Choices)

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