A sore throat lasting for one week is highly unlikely to be a symptom of oral HPV. Oral HPV is almost always a silent, asymptomatic infection that does not cause acute throat pain or inflammation. Your symptoms are much more consistent with a common, self-limiting viral pharyngitis (like a cold) or a mild bacterial throat infection.
To address your query about testing: there is currently no clinically recommended or FDA-approved throat swab test to screen for oral HPV in individuals without visible, suspicious lesions. While HPV DNA PCR swabs are sometimes used in academic research settings, they are not clinically useful for diagnostics. This is because they cannot distinguish between a minor, transient HPV exposure (which your immune system will naturally clear on its own) and a persistent infection, meaning a positive result would only cause you unnecessary anxiety.
Next Steps
Consult a Primary Care Doctor or ENT: Visit a general physician for a quick physical examination of your throat. They can look for redness, swollen tonsils, or signs of strep throat and prescribe appropriate supportive care.
Monitor the Timeline: If your sore throat persists beyond 2 to 3 weeks, or if you develop new symptoms like difficulty swallowing, ear pain, or a swollen lymph node in your neck, seek an evaluation from an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist.
Get the HPV Vaccine: Since you are 21, you are in the prime age group to receive the Gardasil 9 vaccine if you haven't already. It provides highly effective, long-term protection against the high-risk HPV strains associated with oral and genital cancers.
Health Tips
Avoid purchasing unapproved "at-home" oral HPV test kits online. These commercial tests lack clinical validation, are highly prone to user error, and often lead to false positives that fuel health anxiety.
Soothe Your Throat: Until you see a doctor, manage the discomfort by gargling with warm salt water, drinking warm fluids, and using over-the-counter throat lozenges to reduce irritation.