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in collaboration with
Dr Odile Bagot (Gynecologist-obstetrician)
Medical validation:
November 2, 2023
According to a doctor, oral sex has become the leading risk factor for throat cancer, thus dethroning cigarettes and alcohol. What should we think of this announcement? And how to protect yourself from it? The response from Dr Odile Bagot, gynecologist.
Is oral sex more carcinogenic than smoking or drinking alcohol? Yes, according to the viral video of Dr. Daria Sadovskaya, posted on TikTok. The young doctor from Singapore says that papillomavirus infection, which is transmitted during oral sex, would be much more harmful than anything else.
Throat cancer: men more at risk
While the American Cancer Society states that smoking represents “the number one risk factor for throat cancer“, Dr. Sadovskaya, does not agree.
In her video, she ensures that human papillomaviruses (HPV) (which can be conveyed during oral sex, editor’s note) pose a greater threat to health. They are in fact the cause of cancers in the back of the throat, at the base of the tongue and at the level of the tonsils, in an area called the oropharynx.
Another statement made by the doctor: men appear to be more at risk of developing this type of cancer, because women are more likely to be carriers of the virus.
“Men are more likely to develop throat cancer during oral sex with women because women are more likely to carry the virus [HPV] in their genital area“said Sadovskya.
An observation confirmed by the figures. According to the American Cancer Society, men have been much more affected by this cancer caused by HPV viruses, since the diagnosis rate increased by 2.8% per year among men from 2015 to 2019.
Rates which have also increased “1.3% among women“, Dr. Sadovskya reveals in her video.
If Dr. Sadovskaya highlights the risks associated with the practice of oral sex, her speech remains no less anxiety-inducing, believes Dr. Bagot.
“ENT cancers, like cervical cancers, are linked to the papillomavirus. A virus, to which everyone is exposed at least once during their life, regardless of the type of sexual intercourse preferred. It is therefore universally widespread“.
Then it develops into cancer, “The individual concerned must have a drop in their immune defenses. Otherwise, the body manages to get rid of it on its own.“, assures the gynecologist.
Focus on prevention
Beyond this anxiety-provoking message, our expert insists on the importance of good prevention.
“At least 90% of the population practices oral sex. So there’s no point in panicking or stopping everything.”. Better to use for prevention instead.a dental sheath, made of latex, which allows you to protect yourself from STIs” and “have recourse to vaccination” concludes the expert.
The prevention of HPV infections is today a priority, but France remains one of the European countries in which vaccination coverage rates are the lowest. In addition to a school vaccination campaign for 5th grade students, France is mobilizing general practitioners, nurses, midwives and also pharmacists to facilitate access to this vaccination.
Finally, smoking tobacco (cigarettes, pipes, cigars, etc.) remains an important risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer. This risk increases with the quantity of tobacco smoked and the duration of smoking. Tobacco is the cause of many other cancers, cardiovascular diseases, etc.