Sunday, February 03, 2008
Dangers in Oral Sex
We as a society have laid aside centuries of wisdom, thinking we know it all. One of the things we decided probably in the 60's was that oral sex was safe, entertaining, you couldn't get all those awful diseases, couldn't get pregnant.
Now it looks like despite decreasing smoking and alcohol-related oral cavity squamous carcinoma, HPV-related oral cancer is increasing to take its place. I wonder where us guys are getting HPV from?
I've actually, as a pathologist, recently seen a tongue squamous cell carcinoma in a 19 year old woman! She did not smoke and was in training to become a singer. I've seen a few carcinomas in men with no smoking history, too.
Sexual guidelines are like guardrails to keep us safe. I'd be the last to say to follow all traditions blindly. Remember, however, that our ancestors were just as intelligent as we are and we ignore their observations and experience, which after all is the definition of tradition, at our peril.
Now it looks like despite decreasing smoking and alcohol-related oral cavity squamous carcinoma, HPV-related oral cancer is increasing to take its place. I wonder where us guys are getting HPV from?
I've actually, as a pathologist, recently seen a tongue squamous cell carcinoma in a 19 year old woman! She did not smoke and was in training to become a singer. I've seen a few carcinomas in men with no smoking history, too.
Sexual guidelines are like guardrails to keep us safe. I'd be the last to say to follow all traditions blindly. Remember, however, that our ancestors were just as intelligent as we are and we ignore their observations and experience, which after all is the definition of tradition, at our peril.
