Mouthwash after oral sex

[miamigal358]

Hello.

I am a 24 year old.  I gave unprotected oral sex to a bisexual man whose status I am unsure of.  He did not ejaculate in my mouth. My question in particular focuses on the use of mouthwash after oral sex.   I vigorously used quite a bit of Scope mouthwash for the 24 hours following the activity in multiple sessions.  I can now feel that the Scope may have had some abrasions on the interior of my cheek, gums, roof of my mouth, tongue.

Could the use of scope mouthwash after oral sex which led to a decrease in the quality of my oral cavity increase my risk for HIV?  I know brushing is not recommended after oral sex, but what about mouthwash.

I know that you usually don't recommend testing after single episodes like this, but does the use of significant amount of mouthwash following my oral sex change that?

Thanks

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the forum.  It is evident from your rapid fire questions that this is exposure is on your mind and creating some anxiety.  I hope that I can help to sort things out for you.  As I suspect you know, the quoted figure for HIV risk, if one has oral sex with an infected partner is less than 1 in 10,000 and, in my estimation that is too high. Some experts state there is no risk at all from oral sex.  Neither of us on this site have ever seen or reading the medical literature of a convincing instance in which HIV was passed by oral sex.  This includes by all of the people who had gum disease or other sores and abrasions in their mouth.  Also, as you might imagine, there are no scientific studies evaluating the effect of mouthwash (Scope or otherwise) on HIV risk.  Thus we will have to reason through this.

While the use of scope may be irritating to your mouth, I doubt that it created any new sores or breaks inside of your mouth,  Even if it did however, there are no data to suggest that open sores of any sort increase risk for HIV acquisition.  Thus I would not worry that your heavy mouthwash use, or any irritation it create, has increased your HIV risk.  .

Having said that, my guess is, again based on the number of comments you've made, that you will worry nonetheless.  So let's also briefly discuss how to deal with this.  For starters, chances are that even though your partner is bisexual, that he does not have HIV.  I would ask him and, if he has not been tested recently, ask him to do so.  this is the quickest and most direct way to get this sorted this out.  When you find out that he does not have HIV, as I suspect will be the case, you can be sure that you did not get HIV.  Alternatively, if this is not possible, you can get tested.  In your case, any test result 6 weeks or more after your exposure that I am correct in saying that this is a virtually no risk exposure.  Also, please understand that the only reason I would even suggest you get tested is because I sense that you are quite nervous about this.

Hope this helps.  EWH

[miamigal358]

sorry,i meant to say

both the top and bottom of my tongue, in addition to the area directly under my tongue, the interior of my cheek, my gums, the roof of my mouth WERE AFFECTED by the use of quite a bit of scope several times for long periods after the unprotected oral sex without ejaculation episode

[miamigal358]

Also doctors,

both the top and bottom of my tongue, in addition to the area directly under my tongue, the interior of my cheek, my gums, the roof of my mouth by the use of quite a bit of scope several times for long periods after the unprotected oral sex without ejaculation episode

[miamigal358]

Also, I kept the mouthwash in my mouth for significant periods of time with each session.

Please factor in these comments when you form your opinion and acknowledge that you have.

[miamigal358]

Sorry, my last comment was a bit confusing.

I meant to say - does more mouthwash used potentially increase the risk or is the issue of amount of mouthwash used a non issue?

[miamigal358]

To Clarify Doctors, when i say "quite a bit", I mean a whole lot.

Will the large amounts of scope mouthwash after oral sex increase risk or is there no increased risk regardless of the amount of mouthwash used after oral sex?

Thank you