“The most important thing is to be happy. And that goes for a lot more then being happy with weight; that goes for life.”
—Russell, 18, Canada
Can you get an STD from oral sex?
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Many STDs want to infect warm, wet places, like your mouth, urethra, vulva, vagina, penis, and/or anus. This means that many STDs can be passed from your mouth to genitals and vice versa.
The sexually transmitted infections that can be passed during oral sex are herpes, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, and syphilis. There is a very small risk for getting and giving HIV through oral sex, too.
This doesn't mean that you can't enjoy oral sex. But it does mean that you need to plan ahead, talk to your partner, and use protection.
One way to make oral sex safer is to get tested regularly for STDs, and to pay attention to any potential symptoms of STDs, and get them checked out by a health care provider right away.
Typical symptoms include burning sensations during sex or when you pee, unusually strong smells from your genitals, or bumps on your genitals, anus, and/or mouth and lips. Most STDs have NO symptoms, so it is still really important to get tested regularly. (To find a clinic near you, click here.)
If you do not abstain from oral sex, using a latex barrier is your best chance of avoiding most STDs.
When a guy is receiving oral sex, he can use a latex condom to protect himself and his partner. Many condom brands now have flavored condoms to make using one during oral sex taste better.
When a girl is receiving oral sex, she can use the Sheer Glyde dam to protect herself or her partner. Her partner can use a flavored lube on the outside of the dam to make it taste better.
Got a question about STDs? Call the CDC's national hotline at 1-800-227-8922, open 24/7.
Your Comments
anal sex
Posted by: monica.west28 on May 28th, 2008 1:34pm
why does it hurt to get anal sex? and why does it bleed?
RE: but what if it does not hurt?
Posted by: DanR on May 5th, 2008 12:08pm
It is impossible for me to diagnose you online, but if you
are having these symptoms, and you are sexually active (or
even kissing someone recently that could have the herpes
virus) then I would recommend seeing a doctor as soon as
possible. People experience different symptoms with
different STDs so they can not hurt, but still be an STD. I
suggest seeing your doctor or going to a local clinic.
Check out our Get Tested page for more information:
http://www.sexetc.org/page/get_tested/.
but what if it does not hurt?
Posted by: kepitaks on May 4th, 2008 1:05pm
What if you have red spots around and on your lips that
kinda look like blood blister but dont hurt at all?
thanks
for your time =)
RE: whats the risk?
Posted by: DanR on Mar 10th, 2008 10:51am
I am glad that you are thinking about this ahead of time!
It is important to have a conversation with your partner
about what they consider "sex". Some people do not consider
oral or anal sex to be sex, but you can still contract an
STD. Also if they ever had any intimate skin to skin
contact with another person, even without sex, there are
STDs that can be passed in that way as well. Check out this
FAQ for some more information on staying safe:
http://www.sexetc.org/faq/std/1047.
whats the risk?
Posted by: bigdude08 on Mar 9th, 2008 8:53pm
if neither of us have had sex with anyone else, is there a
risk to giving oral? thanks...
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RE: anal sex
Posted by: DanR on May 28th, 2008 2:17pm
There are a lot of reasons that anal sex can be painful. 1.
There is no natural lubrication in your anus…you will need
to use some kind of water based personal lubricant. 2. The
anus is designed to push things out, not take things in, so
that can be weird. Finally, it might bleed because the
tissue inside ripped during intercourse. This can put you
at a higher risk for STDs such as HIV. For more
information, check out this link on anal sex:
http://www.sexetc.org/faq/sex/730.