Oral sex involves giving or receiving oral stimulation (i.e. sucking or licking) to the genitalia.
Fellatio, also known as a ‘blow job’, is the term used to describe oral sex given to a man, cunnilingus is the term which describes oral sex given to a woman, and anilingus is oral-anal contact.
Many studies have shown that oral sex is practised by sexually active men and women of all ages, both gay and straight. It is a very common practice and may be performed on its own, or before or after sexual intercourse.
A number of studies have demonstrated that oral sex is not necessarily safe sex. Both giving and receiving oral sex can lead to the transmission of sexually transmitted infections or sexually transmitted diseases (also known as STIs or STDs).
If a person is infected with herpes (HSV 2), gonorrhea, syphillis, chlamydia, there is a risk they could transmit the infection via oral sex.
Transmission from an HIV positive receptive partner to an HIV negative active partner may occur when the active partner gets sexual fluid (semen or vaginal fluid) or blood (from menstruation or a wound somewhere in the genital or anal region) into a cut, sore, ulcer or area of inflammation somewhere in their mouth or throat.
Transmission from an HIV positive active partner to an HIV negative receptive partner is generally believed to be less common. This is because HIV is normally only present in saliva in very low levels that are not sufficient to cause infection.
The only risk in this scenario would be from bleeding wounds or gums in the HIV positive person’s mouth or on their lips, which may transfer blood onto the mucous membranes of the other person’s genitals or anus, or into any cuts or sores they may have.
The risk of oral transmission of HIV is very low; one study in South Africa estimated it at as 0.04 percent. This low risk of becoming infected with HIV from oral sex can be reduced further by using condoms.
Flavoured condoms are available for those who don’t like the taste of latex or spermicide.
For cunnilingus or anilingus, a condom cut open or a dental dam (a thin square of latex) can serve as a physical barrier to prevent transmission of HIV and other STDs.
