Dentists can tell if you ve given head: yes, you have read it correctly!

So, did you go to the candy shop and lick the lollipop? If your answer is yes and you have a dentist’s visit soon maybe you’re wondering if dentists can tell if you ve given head. There is a pretty good chance they might be able to tell. Yes, you heard that right!

Maybe you come to this article after too much time spent on TikTok. Yes, dentists can tell if you’ve given head! That is going to make the next visit to the dentist’s office awkward.

But do not worry! We will give you the information so, you would not need to ask your dentist how they can tell.

TW: Mention of SA. If you’re sensitive to this subject, please skip this article. 

Is it possible that dentists can tell if you’ve given head?

Unfortunately yes, they can tell. The question is: do you care? Are you embarrassed by a fun sex life? Good news is, it is not like a tramp stamp! It does not last forever or changes your mouth completely and permanently.

Let us explain, it’s not visible just after one or two… uhm… fellatio fun. But there is a way that your dentist can tell. Not only that on a more serious note this can also be one of the signs of abuse more specifically sexual abuse but we will get to that later.

But how did this come to be? This has not been common knowledge, but with the pandemic and people having more free time on their hands the information got out. You guessed it! It was a viral video on TikTok that started this. A TikTok user posted about the fact that dentists can tell about performing oral sex. Most people were shocked by it.

Then medical professionals started stitching the video, approving it, and saying it is true and not a myth. One of those medical professionals was a dentist named Dr. Huzefa Kapadia, who talked about it in more detail. In a follow-up video, he said that a tell-tale sign of sucking a lollipop, obviously using it as a euphemism, could be seen during a dental examination. How do you ask? This brings us to the next question.

So let’s say you went in for an easy procedure as a professional teeth whitening or maybe something more, how can dentist tell?

How can dentists tell if you’ve given head?

So how can they tell? At first, it doesn’t sound very comfortable, does it? But let’s put that aside and focus on the medicine here.

The roof of our mouth also called the palatal is covered with soft tissue. The soft palate is pretty sensitive and it has plenty of capillaries. They are the smallest blood vessels that carry the blood in our body.

During oral sex, the penis can hit that soft tissue and cause some of the capillaries to break causing the blood to leak and lead to palatal bruising. So basically the roof of your mouth gets bruised. That is how dental professionals can tell if there was any oral sex involved while giving you a dental evaluation.

There is a medical term for this which is palatal petechiae (/pɪˈtiːkiə/) during the practice of fellatio. But that is not all when it comes to palatal petechiae. Let’s talk more about it.

What is palatal petechiae?

So to simply describe it, palatal petechiae is referred to the bruising and irritation on the roof of the mouth. As we mentioned, giving head can cause the roof of your mouth to get bruised, but it is not the only cause for it to happen.

Some infections and diseases can cause palatal petechiae and palatal lesions as well. Recently palatal petechiae have been seen in some Covid-19 patients.

How long after it’s noticeable and how long does it last?

Fellatio-associated palatal petechiae are exactly like physical bruising. This type of bruising will be noticeable in 1 to 2 days. In about a few days, it will resolve itself if there are no more fellatio acts performed. As was mentioned the frequency of fellatio performance is in direct contact with the presence of fellatio-associated erythema or palatal bruising.

What else can dentists tell by looking at your mouth?

Well, dentists can tell a lot of things by looking in your mouth. Not only if you need veneers or if you need braces. It is said eyes are the windows to the soul and your mouth is the window to your overall health. Here are the things that dentists can tell by looking:

  • If you floss regularly and not just before your appointment
  • If you have any vitamin deficiencies
  • If you have oral cancer
  • If you have diabetes
  • If you are pregnant
  • If you sucked your thumb as a child
  • If you have an infection, such as a sinus or ear infection
  • If you have an eating disorder
  • If you bite your nails
  • If you grind or clench your teeth in sleep

That is why you should never take your dental and oral health slightly. With a simple Google search, you can find many resources and literature that support this. So go ahead and call your dentist and make that appointment.

There can be other reasons for the bruise

As we mentioned above, palatal petechiae can be related to other issues as well. Depending on the age of the person and other symptoms present, it could be sexual abuse or infection whether viral or bacterial. In some rare cases, some medications can cause oral lesions and discoloration on the soft palatal as well.

One of the most common infections that can cause palatal petechiae is strep throat which affects the throat and tonsils. It usually represents a fever and swollen tonsils which can cause pain while swallowing.

In case of abuse especially children, they might not present with any visible signs of sexual abuse. The medical examiner needs to know about this as well.

Does it affect any dental work?

Not really. As we talked about it before, performing oral sex on your partner will not affect any dental work you might be getting later. But if you are planning any sexual activity after your dentist’s visit you might need to think twice.

It is best to check with your dentist and ask them if it is ok to perform fellatio on your partner or not. For example, after tooth extraction, since there is an open wound in your mouth there could be a higher chance of infection.

Can you give head with braces?

It is better to say no. Braces cause enough damage for one person, let’s not spread that, shall we? If you are wearing braces, it is best not to give anyone head.

There might not be much research done on this part of having braces, but there would definitely be a higher chance of injury.

Not just for you but also for your partner. So for your own safety and your partner’s as well, let’s skip the lollipop-licking for now and leave it for when you are done with your braces.

Are the bruises the same as dental braces?

Talking about bruises, getting braces can also cause that. All those wires and appliances can get in the way and cause injury in your mouth. Not only that but your braces can cause cuts on your cheeks, tongue, or lips too. They might even lead to painful oral lesions on the cheeks and lips as well.

Takeaway

Acts of fellatio could lead up to palatal petechiae. Jokes aside that is nothing to be embarrassed about if you go to your dentist soon after.

Your dentist only cares about your oral health and health in general. So please don’t skip your dentist’s appointment just because you had a little fun.

This article might have been a little bit light-hearted, but we try our best to be informative as well. If you have more questions or any concerns don’t hesitate to contact us! Our professional medical assistants at Dentfix will get back to you in no time.

Resources:

-Nibhanipudi, Kumara V. “A Study to Determine if Addition of Palatal Petechiae to Centor Criteria Adds More Significance to Clinical Diagnosis of Acute Strep Pharyngitis in Children.” Global pediatric health vol. 3 2333794X16657943. 5 Jul. 2016, doi:10.1177/2333794X16657943. Link 

-Ciccarese, Giulia et al. “Oral erosions and petechiae during SARS-CoV-2 infection.” Journal of medical virology vol. 93,1 (2021): 129-132. doi:10.1002/jmv.26221. Link

-Mendez, Luis Alberto et al. “Fellatio-associated erythema of the soft palate: an incidental finding during a routine dental evaluation.” BMJ case reports vol. 2018 bcr2017221901. 11 Jun. 2018, doi:10.1136/bcr-2017-221901. Link

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