People who engage in oral sex are over eight times more likely to develop oral or oropharyngeal cancer, largely due to HPV, one of the most common sexually transmitted infections.
Dr. Hisham Mehanna from the University of Birmingham says the rise in throat cancer cases over the past 20 years has been so steep it’s now considered an “epidemic.” The biggest risk factor? The number of oral sex partners.
HPV can linger in some individuals and eventually lead to cancer. Smoking, heavy drinking, and poor diet can increase the risk, while experts recommend limiting sexual partners, eating healthily, and getting the HPV vaccine to reduce chances of infection.
