Oral sex is all the rage, and that could be why some kinds of cancer are on the increase, say researchers from the University of Wisconsin.

During oral sex you can pass on the HPV virus. It’s better known for causing genital warts and cervical cancer, but it can also cause throat cancer.

"It seems like a pretty good link that more sexual activity, particularly oral sex, is associated with increased HPV infection," University of Wisconsin cancer expert Dr Greg Hartig told US medical news service HealthDay.

More oral sex
The more partners you have unprotected oral sex with, the more risk you run of catching HPV. And while it used to be more of a taboo, nowadays some people start having oral sex in their early teens, and with multiple partners.

"I don't know why they're having more oral sex,” says Dr Hartig, “but the concept of having oral sex is something that seems less obscure to you than it did to your parents or grandparents."

Smoking
Smoking is still the biggest cause of most head and neck cancers. And in fact fewer people are getting these kinds of cancers overall, because fewer people are smoking, at least in the US, says Dr William Lydiatt cancer specialist at the University of Nebraska.

But tonsil and tongue cancer are on the increase in the US, the doctor says, and the HPV virus is to blame.

Condoms
The good news is that in 90 percent of cases the immune system kicks out the HPV virus naturally within a couple of years. And there’s also a vaccine against HPV. Some countries have a vaccination programme for girls, aimed at preventing cervical cancer, which is still by far the biggest HPV-related killer.

Condoms and dental dams can also cut the risk of catching the HPV virus during oral sex. And condoms also help protect against the virus during intercourse.

Photo: flickr/Daniela Vladimirova

Read more about safe sex - do you know what's safe or unsafe?

Read more about oral sex on a boy or on a girl

Would you say oral sex is a trend among young people where you live? And do you use a condom or dental dam if you have oral sex? Let us know.