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What infections can I catch through oral sex?

Oral sex is the stimulation of the genitals using the mouth and tongue. It is one of the ways that sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are most frequently passed on.

You can catch an STD if you have just one sexual partner. However, the more partners you have, the greater the risk of catching an infection.

 

What is Oral Sex?

Oral sex involves using the mouth to stimulate the genitals or genital area of a sex partner. Types of oral sex include the penis (fellatio), vagina (cunnilingus), and anus (anilingus).

 

How common is oral sex?

Oral sex is commonly practiced by sexually active adults. More than 85% of sexually active adults aged 18-44 years reported having oral sex at least once with a partner of the opposite sex. A separate survey conducted in USA during 2011 to 2015 found that 41% of teenagers aged 15-19 years reported having oral sex with a partner of the opposite sex.

 

Can STDs Spread During Oral Sex?

Yes. Many STDs and other infections are spread through oral sex. Anyone exposed to an infected partner can get an STD in the mouth, throat, genitals, or rectum. The risk of getting an STD or spreading an STD to others through oral sex depends on several things, including the particular STD, type of sex, and number of sex acts performed.

 

In general:

  1. It is possible to get some STDs in the mouth or throat after giving oral sex to a partner who has a genital or anal/rectal STD.
  2. It is possible to get certain STDs on the genitals and genital areas after receiving oral sex from a partner with a mouth or throat infection.
  3. It is possible to have an STD in more than one area at the same time. For example, you can have an STD in the throat and the genitals.
  4. Several STDs (i.e., syphilis, gonorrhea, and intestinal infections) that are transmitted by oral sex can spread in the body.
  5. Oral sex involving the anus (or anilingus) can transmit hepatitis A and B. It also can transmit intestinal parasites like Giardia and bacteria like E.coli and Shigella.
  6. If you have an STD, you might not know it because many STDs are symptomless. It is possible to spread STDs even when you don’t have any signs or symptoms.

 

Which STDs Can Be Passed On from Oral Sex?

STIs commonly caught through oral sex are:

  1. Gonorrhoea
  2. Genital herpes
  3. Syphilis
  4. Human papillomavirus (HPV)

 

Infections less frequently passed on through oral sex include:

  1. Chlamydia
  2. HIV
  3. Hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C
  4. Genital warts
  5. Pubic lice

 

Is Oral Sex Safer than Vaginal or Anal Sex?

It is difficult to compare the risks of getting specific STDs from specific types of sexual activity.

  1. Most people who have oral sex also have vaginal or anal sex.
  2. Few studies look at the risks of getting STDs, other than HIV, from giving oral sex on the vagina or anus, compared to the penis.

Studies show the risk of getting HIV from oral sex (giving or receiving) with a partner who has the infection is much lower than the risk of getting HIV from anal or vaginal sex. This may not be true for other STDs.

  1. In a study of gay men with syphilis, 1 out of 5 reported having only oral sex.
  2. Getting HIV from oral sex may be extremely low, but it is hard to know the exact risk. If you are having oral sex you should protect yourself.

It is possible that getting certain STDs in the throat like chlamydia or gonorrhea may not be as harmful as getting an STD in the genital area or rectum. Having these infections in the throat might increase the risk of getting HIV. Having gonorrhea in the throat also may might lead to the spread of disease throughout the body. In addition:

  1. Having infections of chlamydia and gonorrhea in the throat may make it easier to spread these infections to others through oral sex. This is especially important for gonorrhea, since throat infections can be harder to treat.
  2. Infections from certain STDs, such as syphilis and HIV, spread throughout the body. Therefore, infections acquired in the throat may lead to the same health problems as infections acquired in the genitals or rectum.
  3. Mouth and throat infections by certain types of HPV may develop into oral or neck cancer.

 

What May Increase the Chances of Giving or Getting an STD through Oral Sex?

Certain factors may increase a person’s chances of getting HIV or other STDs during oral sex if exposed to an infected partner. Factors like:

  1. Poor oral health, which can include tooth decay, gum disease or bleeding gums, and oral cancer.
  2. Sores in the mouth or on the genitals.
  3. Exposure to the “pre-cum” or “cum” (also known as pre-ejaculate or ejaculate).

However, there are no scientific studies that show whether these factors increase the risk of getting HIV or STDs from oral sex.

 

What Can You Do to Prevent STD Transmission During Oral Sex?

You can lower your chances of giving or getting STDs during oral sex. Use a condom, dental dam or other barrier methods every time you have oral sex.

  1. For oral sex on the penis:
    1. Cover the penis with a non-lubricated latex condom.
    2. Use plastic (polyurethane) condoms if you or your partner is allergic to latex.
  2. For oral sex on the vagina or anus:
    1. Use a dental dam.
    2. Cut open a condom to make a square and put it between your mouth and your partner’s vagina or anus.

The only way to avoid STDs is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

 

If you are having sex, you can lower your chances of getting an STD by:

  1. Being in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who does not have an STD (e.g., a partner with negative STD test results).
  2. Using latex condoms the right way every time you have sex.

It’s important to remember that many people with an STD may be unaware of their infection. STDs often have no symptoms and are unrecognized. To test STDs please contact our laboratory.