If you missed HPV vaccination when you were younger, being in your 30s or 40s does not automatically mean it is too late.
Some sexually active adults may still benefit, particularly if they are likely to have new partners. However, the expected benefit is usually smaller than before sexual activity begins, and vaccination is not routinely recommended for everyone in this age group.
Why this matters to me
I am a specialist dentist working with dental implants who also provides implant-based reconstructions for patients who have had surgery to remove cancer affecting the mouth and jaws. Mouth cancer and the treatment of the disease can have a devastating impact on quality of life, with a profound effect on eating, speaking and appearance. Although not all mouth cancers are HPV-related, the opportunity to prevent some HPV-related cancers deserves attention.
It is particularly troubling to note that there is a rise in the number of younger patients that we see with mouth cancer – and this has been attributed to the increase in HPV-related disease.
Catching any disease early will have a significant impact upon the ability to treat mouth cancer. This is an important reason to attend regular dental check-ups: your dentist examines the mouth for suspicious changes, including signs of mouth cancer, such as red or white patches or signs of ulceration. A mouth cancer examination is usually part of any dental examination.
What is HPV?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common group of viruses passed on through intimate skin-to-skin contact, including sexual contact. Most infections cause no symptoms and clear without treatment. Occasionally, a high-risk infection persists and can lead to cancer many years later.
HPV causes cervical cancer and some other cancers. Its strongest link in the mouth and throat region is with cancers of the tonsils and base of the tongue, known as oropharyngeal cancers. HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer has increased in the UK over recent decades, especially in men. HPV-16 is the main type involved.
Although head and neck cancer remains much more common in older people, its incidence has risen in younger adults too. Historically, UK data showed increases of around two-thirds in reported oral cancers among people under 50 over a 20-year period. Part of this changing picture reflects the particularly marked rise in cancers of the oropharynx – the tonsils and base of the tongue – where HPV is an important cause.
Can vaccination help if you are already sexually active?
The vaccine is preventive, or prophylactic. It does not clear an existing HPV infection, treat cancer or precancerous changes, or stop an established infection progressing to disease.
Gardasil 9, used in the UK programme, protects against nine HPV types. Previous sexual activity does not mean you have encountered all of them. Vaccination can still protect against covered types you have not acquired, even if you have had another HPV type.
Who might benefit most?
Future exposure is a key consideration. A new sexual partner can mean a new HPV exposure at any age. If you are dating, have left a relationship or expect new partners, there may be more to gain from vaccination.
For someone expecting to remain in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship, acquiring a new HPV infection is less likely, so the additional benefit is usually limited. Previous vaccination, sexual history and your health also matter.
What does the evidence show?
Studies in adults aged 27-45 show strong immune responses and protection against persistent vaccine-type infections and some associated disease in people not previously infected with the relevant types. Much of the trial evidence comes from women; benefits are smaller when people with previous or current exposure are included.
This supports considering vaccination for selected adults. It does not establish how much starting vaccination in your 30s or 40s reduces your personal risk of cancer: the adult trials did not demonstrate fewer oropharyngeal cancers. Advice for people in their later 40s needs particular individual consideration.
What is available on the NHS?
The UK programme focuses on adolescents. In England, routine vaccination is offered at ages 12–13, with catch-up before the 25th birthday for eligible cohorts who missed it.
Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men can receive NHS HPV vaccination through specialist sexual health and HIV clinics up to and including age 45. Some other people at comparable risk may also qualify following assessment.
This targeted provision is not a universal recommendation for adults in their 30s or 40s. Outside NHS programme eligibility, a clinician can discuss whether vaccination, including private vaccination, would offer worthwhile protection.
Is vaccination right for you?
For some unvaccinated adults, it is not too late to gain useful protection. The decision depends particularly on future exposure to HPV types you have not acquired. An individual discussion can help you decide whether vaccination is worthwhile for you.
To discuss HPV vaccination with Fleet Street Clinic, call 020 7353 5678 or book a consultation online.
About the author
Dr Andrew Dawood is a specialist in periodontics and prosthodontics at Dawood & Tanner in London. His work includes complex dental implant treatment and reconstruction following surgery for cancers affecting the mouth. He holds honorary consultant roles at University College London Hospitals and Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked 2 October 2026.
– UK Health Security Agency. HPV vaccination guidance for healthcare practitioners.
– US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HPV vaccine recommendations.
– UK Health Security Agency. Human papillomavirus: the Green Book, chapter 18a.
– CDC / ACIP. Evidence to recommendations for HPV vaccination of adults, ages 27 through 45 years.
– CDC / ACIP. GRADE assessment for HPV vaccine in adults aged 27–45.
– NHS. HPV vaccine.
– NHS. What happens when you visit an NHS dentist.
