[Question #11355] Mouth Warts
15 months ago
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Hi Dr's!
I've (late 20s Male) had a couple of tiny bumps in my soft palate I could've developed from deep kissing a girl. I first noticed them in February and they've stayed the same size since then. They are close to each other, painless and tasteless and very small about 2-3 mm maybe. I showed it to an ENT who said it could be a dilated salivary gland, but he also didn't rule out HPV in the mouth but said it'd be unlikely and to monitor them. I am unfortunately unvaccinated to HPV.
I had a few questions for you.
If they are oral warts is it possible for them to clear by themselves/immune action, or should I follow up and try and get them removed surgically? I'm a bit nervous since I've been reading that men are bad at developing antibodies against HPV so worried about clearing it myself.
Also if they are warts, that would mean my immune system is susceptible to oral papilloma growths, and would this also mean I am vulnerable to getting RRP? Especially since you can't control the spread by eating so wondering if I could have spread it to my larynx.
Can getting vaccinated help me with this current infection at all or to get ahead of it developing into something sinister like RRP?
Thanks again Dr!
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
15 months ago
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I'm sorry, but this is a repetitive question on a topic with little available information because little research has been done. I would advise you to follow your ENT doctor's advice; most likely he knows more about this topic than we do. Based on his evaluation, you should assume the bumps are not warts and unrelated to HPV; and as Dr. Hook advised, there is little if any risk for HPV from kissing, even with a partner with a genital HPV infection.
Yes, I imagine they would soon be cleared by the immune system. No, there is no reason to suppose your immune system makes you more susceptible to oral papillomas or other HPV problems; and RRP is virtually absent in adults. HPV vaccine primarily prevents new HPV infection with the 9 types covered by the vaccine but has little if any effect on preexisting infection.
There will be no discussion. Please note that the forum does not permit repeated questions on the same topic or exposure, especially when irrational anxiety driven. This will have to be your last one; future questions on these topics and your inflated fears will receive no reply and the posting fee will not be refunded. This policy is based on compassion, not criticism, and is intended to reduce temptations to keep paying for questions with obvious answers. In addition, experience shows that continued answers tend to prolong users' anxieties rather than reducing them. Finally, such questions have little educational value for other users, one of the forum's main purposes. Thank you for your understanding.
HHH, MD