[Question #10731] Oral Wart and HPV Risk of Transmission
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20 months ago
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Hello - I'm a male in my mid-30s. Approximately 5 days ago I noticed a
small bump where one of my wisdom teeth had been removed. It's been
about 14 years since I had it removed. I visited my dentist yesterday
to ask about it and they said it looked like a verruca which I took to
mean a wart, however, they could not say with certainty due to the
size. I have never noticed any type of oral lesion inside my mouth
before. My dentist estimated that it was less than 2mm in size so very
small. I had recently bitten my inner check so that's what caused me to
notice it so I'm not sure how long it has been there. I'm currently in
a monogamous relationship and wanted to understand risks of HPV
transmission to my female partner. I understand that warts can be very
contagious and also that oral warts are often caused by certain HPV
strains. My dentist suggested that I monitor it until my next dental
cleaning appointment which is not until May 2024 (seems a bit long to do
nothing). I also have an appointment with my primary care physician a
week from now for some unrelated tasks so I will be asking about it then
as well. My main concern is the protection of my female partner. We
have protected vaginal sex, however, I have performed oral sex on her in
recent months with no protection. I have not shared food, kissed, or
performed oral sex since I noticed the bump/lesion/wart. I understand
that most sexually active adults will come into contact with some form
of HPV throughout their adult lives. Do I need to be concerned about transmission to my female partner before removal and after of the lesion? Is performing oral sex a serious risk of transmission oral to genital?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
20 months ago
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Welcome to our Forum thanks for your questions. Let me make some comments.
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the term "verruca" is non-specific. You do not know what this lesion is and to assume that it is an HPV-related wart is unwarranted. When HPV infects the oro-pharynx, infections are typically not visible as warts.
If it is HPV, which again, I stress you do not know, your partner has been exposed so modifying your current sexual practices is unwarranted.
Even if the lesion of a wart, most HPV infections, no matter where they are located and resolve without problems.
Finally, if your partner is of your age or similarly, there is a good chance that she is vaccinated against HPV. The vaccine is highly effective.
Bottom line, I think you are getting ahead of things. My best and sincere advice is to not worry about this lesion, If your cannot do that, rather than engage in a series of "what if" scenarios, my strong advice is to have the lesion assessed by an ENT specialist and, if warranted, biopsied. EWH
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20 months ago
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Ah gotcha. Thank you for the clarification on the term verruca. Makes more sense my dentist would use a non-specific term then. I guess my anxiety is certainly getting the best of me here. I always assumed warts meant HPV (some variety).
I will confirm with my partner about her HPV vaccination status. She's also mid-30s.
Other than discussing this with my PCP and potentially getting it assessed by an ENT specialist, it seems like I should just monitor it every now and again to ensure it's not getting bigger or changing shape?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
20 months ago
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That's precisely the approach I would suggest. EWH---
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20 months ago
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Thank you very much for your assistance. Realized I had one last question I should've asked previously. Does a biopsy just determine whether a lesion is benign? Or does it also indicate whether it's HPV-related or not? Appreciate your reassurances. The internet is not always the greatest place to look up information about very minor things hah.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
20 months ago
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As you may know, we provide up to three responses to each clients question. As this is my third response, it will also be my last response, and the thread will be closed shortly after.
Yes, biopsies can be looked at to determine whether they are benign or cancerous. From what you described, I would be very surprised if the lesion you’ve noted is cancerous. If requested, lesions can also be tested to see whether they were caused by HPV.
I hope the information I have provided has been helpful to you. I urge you not to worry. EWH.
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