Hollywood legend Michael Douglas once said that the insane amount of women he went down on in his life was the reason for him getting throat cancer, and according to recent findings, he was right.

Indeed, it seems people around the world are giving more head than ever, and that this massively increases your chance of getting a specific type of throat cancer called oropharyngeal cancer (the area of the tonsils and back of the throat).

It’s all because oral is a really good way of spreading the human papillomavirus (HPV) and certain types of this virus can cause cancer.

Dr. Hisham Mehanna, from the University of Birmingham, says that 70 percent of cases of throat cancer are caused by HPV:

Over the past two decades, there has been a rapid increase in throat cancer in the west, to the extent that some have called it an epidemic.

This has been due to a large rise in a specific type of throat cancer called oropharyngeal cancer.

Normally neck and throat cancer is associated with drinking and smoking. Not the best news if you like to combine the three activities (which I’m pretty sure a lot of us do). Not to worry though, because while doctors say HPV from oral sex is now the biggest risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer, there are a few ways to reduce the risk. There’s a vaccine and, if it’s not too late, having oral sex with less than six partners will help.

Don’t take my word for it though, take Dr. Mehanna’s:

HPV is sexually transmitted. For oropharyngeal cancer, the main risk factor is the number of lifetime sexual partners, especially oral sex.

Those with six or more lifetime oral-sex partners are 8.5 times more likely to develop oropharyngeal cancer than those who do not practice oral sex.

Well, that sucks. But hopefully this study will do some good in making people more vigilant about getting checked out regularly, although I doubt it will affect the amount of head people give because let’s face it, it’s a great way to spend time with someone.

For the dentist who revealed a sure-fire way of telling how regularly someone gives blow jobs, click HERE. Enlightening stuff.