Recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the study Prevalence of Oral HPV Infection in the United States examined nearly 6,000 people across the country. Among men and women in the US, ages 14-69, the overall prevalence of oral HPV infection was 6.9%, noted higher among men than among women.

Associations with age, sex, number of sexual partners, and nicotine intake were independently associated with oral HPV infection in multivariable models. The data provides evidence that oral HPV infection is predominantly sexually transmitted. Infection was uncommon among sexually inexperienced individuals, was 8-fold higher among sexually experienced individuals, and increased significantly with the number of sexual partners.

This study clearly reiterates the importance of oral cancer screening. The prevalence of oral HPV related oral cancer continues to grow at an alarming rate, and dental professionals are on the frontline of identifying the signs and symptoms of this disease. Please visit www.Identafi.net for extensive information on early detection, speaking to your patients about the disease, and using the Identafi to perform in-depth screenings.