In this article, we explain in detail the STDs symptoms, mouth sores causing STDs, how to get tested for STDs, STD testing costs near you, and an at-home STD testing kit.
- Do STDs Cause Mouth Sores?
- What Types of STDs Cause Symptoms in the Mouth?
- STDs and Mouth Sores
- STDs and Mouth Ulcers
- How are STDs Treated?
- How to Get Checked for STDs?
- Is there a Home Test Kit Available for STDs?
- STD Testing Cost in the US
- Providers Location
Do STDs Cause Mouth Sores?
Sexually Transmitted Diseases are on the rise each year around the globe. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are nearly 25 million new cases of STDs that are reported each year in the US alone and more than half of the cases are from the age group of 15 – 24.
During the initial stage, STDs show flu-like symptoms i.e., fever, cough, and fatigue. STDs also have the potential to affect the oral cavity and cause mouth sores.
STDs that cause mouth sores symptoms are most commonly due to oral sex. The symptoms of certain STDs like oral chlamydia and oral herpes are seen around the nasal tract such as mouth sores, sore throat, and pain to swallow.
What Types of STDs Cause Symptoms in the Mouth?
If you are an avid sex player having multiple partners, then a mouth sore is not to be taken lightly. Mouth sores may be an indication that you are affected with any of the following STDs –
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Syphilis
- Oral Herpes
- HIV
- HPV
All of these diseases have the potential to cause mouth sores and similar other symptoms around the pharyngeal area. A mouth sore or trouble swallowing is usually seen as just a mild annoyance, but it’s nothing to be taken lightly. Get screened for STDs to know the cause for sure and to start the diagnosis early.
STDs that cause Mouth Sores: Chlamydia
Chlamydia is one of the most commonly reported STDs in the United States. Chlamydia Trachomatis is the bacteria that causes Chlamydia infection. Chlamydia can be spread from one person to another via oral sex, but, it is more likely to transmit via anal or vaginal sex. Mouth sores are a common sign when you had oral sex with a Chlamydia infected person. Besides causing mouth sores, Chlamydia can also affect the genitals, urinary tract, and rectum.
Chlamydia can be easily cured with antibiotics, however, this can be said only if the diagnosis and treatment are taken at an early stage.
STDs that cause Mouth Sores: Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea is another bacteria causing STD, Neisseria Gonorrhoeae is the name for Gonorrhea-causing bacteria. This STD can affect mucous membranes, including those in your mouth and throat. According to the CDC reports, there are more than 1.14 million new cases of Gonorrhea reported each year. It can cause oral symptoms such as soreness and burning in your throat, and in rare cases, swollen glands and white spots in your mouth can also be seen.
Gonorrhea infection is difficult to detect and often confused with flu-like diseases and can go undiagnosed. It is to get regularly screened for STDs. If gonorrhea is lead untreated, it can lead to lead to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), heart valve damage, or inflammation of the lining of the brain or spinal cord. Gonorrhea can be cured with antibiotics.
STDs that cause Mouth Sores: Syphilis
Similar to Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is treatable in its initial stage. Syphilis cases have been on the rise since the year 2005. Unlike Chlamydia or Gonorrhea, Syphilis progresses in three phases, namely – primary, secondary, and tertiary stages. Sore throat, chancres (sores) on lips, the tip of the tongue, or at the back of your mouth near your tonsils are some of the symptoms seen in Syphilis at its first (primary) stage.
Syphilis mouth sores usually start as small red patches and grow into larger, open sores that can be red, yellow, or gray in color which is highly contagious and painful. Most of the time, the mouth sores may go away after a certain period of time, but you still have the bacteria (Treponema Pallidum) which can transmit to others via sexual contact. If left untreated, syphilis can cause damage to your heart, brain, and other neurological disorders.
STDs that cause Mouth Sores: Oral Herpes
Unlike Chlamydia or other bacteria causing STDs, Herpes is a viral infection caused by Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). Herpes STD is sorted into two different types, based on the infection area. Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) is associated with mouth (cold) sores/lesions. HSV-1 is termed Oral Herpes. On the other hand, Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 (HSV-2) generally infected the genital and groin area, HSV-2 is also known as Genital Herpes. Both strains are extremely contagious and have no complete cure to date.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are more than 3.7 billion people under the age of 50 affected with Oral Herpes worldwide. Herpes can be passed between the genitals and the mucus, during oral sex. Symptoms of oral herpes are blisters in your mouth (clear, pink, red, yellow, or gray in color), sore throat, pain while eating or swallowing, fever, and fatigue.
STDs that cause Mouth Sores: HIV
HIV is the most commonly known of all STDs. Human Immuno Deficiency Virus is the cause of HIV infection. According to the latest estimates, there were 1.2 million people living in the U.S. with HIV in the year 2018, and every 1 in 7 do not know they have HIV.
Mouth sores are a common sign of HIV infection, in fact, between 32% – 46% of the HIV-reported cases have mouth sore symptoms. Other signs of HIV include sore throat, fever, cough, swollen lymph nodes, skin rash, headache, and upset stomach. As the disease progress (if early-stage treatment is not taken) more severe symptoms are seen. Read more about HIV symptoms in detail here and HIV RNA early testing here.
HIV is a viral STD, that has no complete cure. However, antiviral drugs will be prescribed to reduce the symptoms and lower the probability of spreading the virus to other sex partners. It is very important to get tested for HIV, else it may lead to AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome) where the immune system is completely destroyed by the virus, and your body can easily catch other infectious diseases like tuberculosis and cancer.
STDs that cause Mouth Sores: HPV
The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is also one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the US, with nearly 14 million new cases each year. HPV virus has the tendency to primarily infect the mouth and throat. There are more than 40 different types of HPV strains, some high-risk strains particularly HPV-16, are associated with cancers of the head and neck. The CDC estimates that these cancers are four times more highly reported in men than in women.
Low-risk HPV strains can cause warts in your mouth or throat. HPV symptoms include mouth sores, sore throat, and warts around the genital area. There is no cure for HPV infection, nonetheless, there is a vaccine to prevent getting infected from certain HPV strains.
Sings of STDs around the Mouth
STD symptoms may vary from person to person, some may have all the following STD symptoms in the mouth, some may experience a few and some may not notice any symptoms for many weeks but the bacteria stay low profile and start manipulating over time causing severe sickness.
STDs and Mouth Sores
- Sores in the upper mouth, which may be painless
- Lesions (cold sores) and fever blisters around the mouth
- Sores on the tongue
STDs and Mouth Ulcers
- Mouth sores, sore throat, and difficulty swallowing
- Redness with white spots resembling strep throat
How are STDs treated?
Bacterial STDs can be treated with antibiotics if treatment begins at an early stage. Unfortunately, viral STDs are not cured, but you can control symptoms with daily medications. If you are given antibiotics to treat STDs, you should take all of the drugs prescribed by your physician, even though you stop showing symptoms. Also, avoid taking someone else’s medication to cure your infection; this will lead to severe difficulties to diagnose.
How to get tested for STDs?
There are different forms of tests to get diagnosed with STDs. Firstly, your physician may ask you to take any of the following tests using a cotton swab in the infected area such as mouth, throat, vagina, anus, or penis, or may be asked to take a blood sample or a urine sample. The test shall be taken based on the medical and sexual history you have and the symptoms you experience.
Is there an STD home test kit available?
There are STD home test kits available to get tested at home. You can order an STD test kit online from one of our testing providers. Order your STD home test kit now! All you need to do is follow the instructions mentioned on the testing kit and post it back. STD home test kit requires a simple oral swab collection and an easy finger-prick blood spot collection and the results will be mailed to you within 2 to 5 business days.
It is mostly preferred by people who have who do not have time from their everyday schedule, taking an appointment, and visiting the testing lab. Also, those who are not convenient in having an awkward conversation to answer questions about their sexual history with a medical physician in the lab can prefer a home testing kit.
How much is the cost of the STD test?
There are many options available for the STD home test kit, but we have identified the best and the most affordable home test kit providers and have listed them out for our readers. One of our STD testing providers who are CLIA – Certified is located across the U.S., and offers an at-home STD test kit at an affordable price.
The following table shows the STD home test kit and STD testing cost at 3 of our partner laboratories (CLIA – Certified) network located across the U.S.
Name of our Partner Labs | Book Online |
STD Check Labs
| Starting from
|
LetsGetChecked(Home Test Kit)
| Starting from
$111.75 |
HealthLabs
| Starting from$24 |
Providers location
STD tests can be done in any of the following states either at the provider’s location or home. To know the STD testing cost, check the above table.
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Frequently Asked Questions
Will insurance cover my STD testing cost?
No. Generally providers do not accept the insurance in order to ensure your privacy. However, they will provide you a receipt for insurance reimbursement purposes.
How should I book my appointment for STD testing?
You can choose the most suitable provider from above and make an appointment by following the instructions mentioned by them.
Can I cancel my lab test order?
Yes, you can cancel your lab test order anytime before your testing. A refund will be initiated after deducting the cancellation fee. However, cancellation is at the discretion of the provider.
Do the providers offer result interpretations?
Yes, few providers may provide doctor consultation who will take you through the results and provide clarification if needed.
How do I receive my report?
In order to ensure your privacy, the test report will be mailed to you by the provider.
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