STDs: Every Type, Signs, Testing, and Prevention
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Of The Mouth: What You Should Know
Oral human papillomavirus (HPV) occurs when this virus enters a cut or opening in your mouth. Diagnosis is done through a physical exam. Treatment may include removal of the warts, either through surgery or cryotherapy.
Most sexually active people will contract human papillomavirus (HPV) at some point in their lifetime. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the United States. More than 100 types of HPV exist, and more than 40 subtypes of HPV can affect the genital area and throat.
HPV spreads by skin-to-skin contact. Most people contract HPV in their genital area through sexual intercourse. If you engage in oral sex, you may contract it in your mouth or throat. This is most commonly known as oral HPV.
Oral HPV often has no symptoms. This means that people don't realize they have an infection and are less likely to take the steps necessary to limit the spread of the disease. It's possible to develop warts in the mouth or throat in certain cases, but this is less common.
This type of HPV can turn into oropharyngeal cancer, which is rare. If you have oropharyngeal cancer, cancer cells form in the middle of the throat, including the tongue, tonsils, and pharynx walls. These cells can develop from oral HPV. Early symptoms of oropharyngeal cancer include:
If you notice any of these symptoms and you know or think you may have HPV, make an appointment with your doctor immediately.
Oral HPV occurs when a virus enters the body, usually through a cut or small tear inside of the mouth. People often get it through having oral sex. More research is necessary to determine exactly how people get and pass on oral HPV infections.
Approximately 79 million Americans currently have HPV, and 14 million people will be newly diagnosed this year alone.
Approximately 7 percent of Americans ages 14 to 69 have oral HPV. The number of people who have oral HPV has increased over the past three decades. It's more common in men than in women.
Approximately two-thirds of oropharyngeal cancers have HPV DNA in them. The most frequent subtype of oral HPV is HPV-16. HPV-16 is considered a high-risk type.
Oropharyngeal cancer is rare. Approximately 1 percent of people have HPV-16. Less than 15,000 people get HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers each year.
Risk factors for oral HPV include the following:
Age is a risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer. It's more common in older adults because it takes years to develop.
No test is available to determine if you have HPV of the mouth. Your dentist or doctor may discover lesions through a cancer screening, or you may notice the lesions first and make an appointment.
If you have lesions, your doctor can perform a biopsy to see if the lesions are cancerous. They'll probably also test the biopsy samples for HPV. If HPV is present, the cancer may be more responsive to treatment.
Most types of oral HPV go away before they cause any health issues. If you develop oral warts due to HPV, your doctor will likely remove the warts.
Treating the warts with topical treatments can be difficult because the warts may be hard to reach. Your doctor may use any of the following methods to treat the warts:
If you do develop oropharyngeal cancer, treatment options are available. Your treatment and prognosis depend on the stage and location of your cancer and whether or not it's associated with HPV.
HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancers have better outcomes and fewer relapses after treatment than HPV-negative cancers. Treatment for oropharyngeal cancer can include radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, or a combination of these.
Most medical and dental organizations don't recommend screening for oral HPV. Lifestyle changes are some of the easiest ways to help prevent HPV. Here are some tips for prevention:
Vaccination against HPV involves getting two shots spaced six to 12 months apart if you're between the ages of nine and 14. People aged 15 and over get three shots over six months. You'll need to get all of your shots for the vaccine to be effective.
The HPV vaccine is a safe and effective vaccine that can protect you from HPV-related diseases.
This vaccine was previously only available to people up until age 26. New guidelines now state people between the ages of 27 and 45 who have not been previously vaccinated for HPV are now eligible for the vaccine Gardasil 9.
In a 2017 study, oral HPV infections were said to be 88 percent lower among young adults who received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine. These vaccines help prevent oropharyngeal cancers linked to HPV.
Sex Education's Shortcomings Leave Students 'in The Dark'
School nurses, psychologists, counselors, and other health workers give low marks to their district or school's sex education curriculum, a new national survey shows.
While topics like puberty and anatomy and physiology are commonly taught, less than 40 percent of school health workers said students in their district learned about consent, interpersonal violence, and contraceptives, the survey by the EdWeek Research Center found. Information on LGBTQ+ issues or gender identity and expression are also rarely included in the curriculum. And a sizable number of K-12 school health workers say their school doesn't teach sex education at all.
"I really do feel like our public schools are failing kids when it comes to sex education," said Nora Gelperin, the director of sex education and training at Advocates for Youth, a nonprofit that works for adolescent sexual and reproductive health.
The survey results, Gelperin said, indicated that students are being left "in the dark."
The EdWeek Research Center surveyed 3,480 school health workers in March. The sample included about 2,300 school nurses, 350 social workers, 245 school psychologists, and 120 health or sex education directors, among other health-related job titles.
When asked how they would rate the ability of their district or school's sex ed. Curriculum to provide students with the information they need to know, nearly 1 in 5 school health workers said their district or school didn't teach sex ed. At all. Another 19 percent called the sex ed. Curriculum "completely" or "somewhat" inadequate.
About a quarter said the curriculum did a "very adequate" or "excellent" job at informing students.
In general, teachers don't have enough training on how to deliver comprehensive sex education, Gelperin said. But another, more immediate challenge is that sex education is caught up in political and cultural debates, she said.
"Unfortunately, I think sometimes adults over-censor themselves—they're so worried about the pushback," Gelperin said. "It's really to the detriment of the students."
In open-ended survey results, several school health workers said they want their school to have a more robust sex ed. Curriculum than it has, but they're stymied by district policies and fear of public backlash.
"Teaching health, especially sex ed., is very challenging these days, primarily for fear of parental interference or criticism," one health worker said.
What school health workers say is included in the curriculumWhen school health workers were asked what topics were included in their school or district's sex ed. Curriculum, most said puberty (71 percent) and anatomy and physiology (60 percent).
Those topics are generally considered safe and non-controversial, Gelperin said. (Still, she added, she wishes puberty was taught across the board since it's "not optional" for children: "It's really helpful to know what's going on with your body.")
But other topics that experts say are important for a comprehensive sex education curriculum—like consent, interpersonal relationships, and information about both contraceptives and abstinence—are included even less, the survey results show.
All of these topics are included in the National Sex Education Standards, which advocate for a sequential approach to building knowledge and skills from kindergarten to 12th grade. According to a 2016 federal survey, 41 percent of districts in the United States have adopted a version of the standards, which were last updated in 2020.
The standards have been criticized by some conservative parent activists and commentators for their advocacy of frank conversations about sex and sexuality, particularly related to LGBTQ+ identity.
Sex education can start in elementary grades, experts sayThe school health workers surveyed work in all grades, and several of the ones who work in elementary schools pointed to the age of their students as reasons for not including some of these topics in the curriculum—or not having sex education at all.
But Gelperin, who was among the writers of the National Sex Education Standards, said the foundation for these topics can be introduced as early as kindergarten, in age-appropriate ways.
Young children should be taught that they can have personal boundaries and how to communicate those boundaries to others, she said. Learning to ask permission before borrowing another child's toy is an example of consent.
The National Sex Education Standards say that by the end of 2nd grade, students should be able to define consent and bodily autonomy. The standards also say that 2nd graders should be able to identify situations that might be uncomfortable or dangerous, like bullying or child sexual abuse, as well as identify trusted adults who they can talk to about those situations.
"You can't expect kids to make healthy decisions if you leave them in the dark," Gelperin said.
The survey results indicate that abstinence is taught more frequently than information on contraceptives. Ideally, schools should talk about both options and give young people the "full and complete picture," Gelperin said.
"Abstinence is always going to be the healthiest decision for young people," she said, but many will still decide to have sex. "They need to know how to protect themselves and their partners."
When school health workers were asked what topics they think should be included in the sex ed. Curriculum that are not currently addressed, information on contraceptives topped the list, tied with interpersonal relationships and dating. Information about sexually transmitted diseases, testing for those diseases, and treatment closely followed.
"In a town with high teen pregnancy, we don't have a formal sex ed. Class," one school health worker said in an open-ended response to the survey. "I believe if students are more aware of their bodies and how they operate, they can make better decisions about sex. However, community and some staff believe we'd only be encouraging students to have sex, when that is not the case. If they are going to have sex, they will; but at least they will be better informed."
Said another: "Abstinence isn't a realistic goal for everyone, but safety, consent, and preparation are."
School health workers aren't sure about the inclusion of LGBTQ+ issuesOnly a quarter of school health workers said their school or district's sex ed. Curriculum included information on gender identity and expression and LGBTQ+ issues. About a third of survey respondents then selected that as an area that they think should be included.
These findings show a degree of ambivalence among health workers about how to teach about LGBTQ+ identities, as the topic continues to rise in current political discourse.
In general, most school health workers—about two-thirds—said they don't think any topics should be excluded from their district or school's sex ed. Curriculum.
But among those who support excluding some topics, 23 percent said information on gender identity and expression and LGBTQ+ issues should not be part of the curriculum. That's the highest selected topic by far—the second-most common topic school health workers marked for exclusion from the curriculum was information on pregnancy, prenatal care, and childbirth, with only 4 percent selecting that option.
"I really believe this is a current moment of time and not a true reflection" of school health workers, Galperin said, referring to the fear of parental pushback and the wave of legislation that seeks to restrict teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity.
She added that the school health workers she works with are invested in protecting LGBTQ+ youth, who are among the most vulnerable students. (Research shows that LGBTQ+ teens report higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation than their peers.)
But there could be other reasons, too. The survey results indicate that more than 40 percent of K-12 school health workers have not received any professional development on working with LGBTQ+ students. And open-ended survey responses show that some school health workers are uncomfortable discussing the topic. Several said those discussions should be primarily between the parent and the child.
"We need to equip and help educate parents to do their job of raising their own children rather than usurp their authority and try to change their values and beliefs in regards to sex education, gender identity, and other controversial topics that [are] in conflict with religious beliefs," one school health worker wrote.
Experts say that it's important for all students to learn definitions and terms related to gender identity and expression and sexual orientation. The National Sex Education Standards say that by the end of 5th grade, for instance, students should be able to explain that gender expression and gender identity exist along a spectrum, as well as be able to describe gender-role stereotypes and their potential impact.
"You have to provide material that engages all of the kids that you're serving," said Elijah Oyenuga, the program coordinator for the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center at Fenway Health, a medical center in Boston. "It's also a space that can give language and knowledge to a lot of youth that might be still searching for that language about their own identities that they may not have had before."
LGBTQ+ issues can also be incorporated into other topics that school health workers deem necessary to include in the sex ed. Curriculum, like relationships and STD testing and treatment, said Darrell Sampson, the executive director of student services for the Arlington, Va., school system.
"Some of those are applicable to anyone, but there are nuances, perhaps, or greater risk factors for some of those things in terms of LGBTQ students, so why wouldn't we want them—anyone—to have that same level of information so that they have the right information to then make healthy choices for themselves through adolescence and into adulthood?" he said.
Ottawa County Forbids Staff To Support 'sexualization Of Children' After Employees Attend Pride Festivals
OTTAWA COUNTY, MI – After Ottawa County Health Department staff were present at two local Pride festivals in Grand Haven and Holland, county leaders moved to bar employees from events that "encourage, support or normalize the sexualization of children."
The "Resolution to Protect Childhood Innocence" was approved by a 9-2 vote by the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, June 27.
The resolution forbids the use of county staff or resources on "activities, programs, events, content, or institutions which support, normalize, or encourage the sexualization of children and youth."
After introducing and reading the resolution, Ottawa County Board Co-Chair Sylvia Rhodea talked about the recent Pride festivals in Ottawa County and said children were handing tip money to drag queens at the Grand Haven festival.
The Ottawa County Health Department, Rhodea said, was in attendance at those festivals.
Ottawa County Administrative Health Officer Adeline Hambley told WOOD TV-8 the health department was at the events offering vaccinations against monkeypox and COVID-19 and providing information on prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.
The ultra-conservative, majority faction on the board called Ottawa Impact has been trying to get rid of Hambley since January.
Related: Far-right Ottawa County leaders can fire health officer but need cause, appeals court orders
After talking about the health department being at local Pride festivals, Rhodea then falsely claimed that pedophiles are represented under the term LGBQT+.
"Over 50 different flags are flown under the LGBTQ+ flags. Which groups may fall under the plus?" Rhodea asked. "Examples include furries -- those who dress as fury animals and use litter boxes -- polyamory, also known as polygamy, bestiality and pedophiles, or, as they're now called: M.A.P.S. – minor attracted persons. Perhaps that name is more palatable."
Rhodea then asked if the county was "promoting and supporting all activities under the plus."
The debate among county commissioners Tuesday wasn't about the sexualization of children.
Instead, it was about how that is defined and how staff can be aware of what constitutes an activity or event or institution that supports, normalizes or encourages the sexualization of children.
The resolution passed Tuesday doesn't give examples of activities, programs, events, content or institutions that sexualize children. It also doesn't specify what constitutes the sexualization of children and youth, nor what it means to support, normalize or encourage it.
County Commissioner Doug Zylstra asked County Board Chair and Ottawa Impact leader Joe Moss if there was a list of activities, programs, events, contents and institutions that could be offered and provided to staff.
Moss said there isn't one. He also said there can't be a comprehensive list, as it's dependent on future events that come up.
Zylstra urged his colleagues to table the resolution until a policy was drafted that would give staff clear guidance on what is and isn't permissible under the resolution.
He said there are differing opinions on what the resolution, as it stands, could mean.
"I think you're laying a trap for staff that I don't think you need to do," Zylstra said.
Other commissioners supported a policy clarifying and further outlining the resolution, but none supported Zylstra's motion to table the resolution while a policy is drafted.
Only Zylstra and county commissioner Roger Bergman voted against the resolution. Bergman said the resolution doesn't address other ways children lose their innocence, like homelessness, poor education and more.
County Commissioner Jacob Bonnema urged that, in the future, these types of resolutions first come through the commission's Planning and Policy Committee for debate and discussion so that they become good policy.
"Good policy is not vague," Bonnema said. "Good policy is complete. It's specific, so that you know what it's addressing. That's how real change happens. When things are vague, they become unactionable. They become left to be determined later – that's not helpful to staff."
Moss submitted the resolution directly to the full board for final approval. Some commissioners said they didn't see the resolution for review until Saturday morning, when it was put publicly online.
In the resolution, Moss wrote that adults and children are increasingly becoming "over-sexualized," and that exposure to sexualized behaviors reduces a child's ability to protect themselves from sexual advances of others.
He mentioned how last year the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office reported it had investigated or reviewed 1,050 criminal sexual conduct and child abuse cases, with 260 minor victims referred to the county's Children's Advocacy Center.
Moss said the normalization of sexualized behaviors and content to children isn't in the long-term interest of children or society.
"Wholesome, good, and honorable content and activities should be promoted to children instead," he wrote in the resolution.
Now that the resolution has passed, the county board will encourage individuals and communities to "promote the good and the honorable to children rather than the normalization of sexual behaviors, protecting the health and wellbeing of our children and the future of our county."
The resolution comes about a month after county leaders declared that Ottawa County, as a "constitutional county," wouldn't use staff or resources on enforcing any law or rule that "restricts the rights of any law-abiding citizen affirmed by the United States Constitution."
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