Oral sex risks and canker sores

Hello. I'm a 19 year old white female who became sexually active in September 2007. I've had sex with about 12 men since then, all men who were in their thirties. I have always used a condom during penetration. I have never used a condom when giving oral sex. In the case of three men I've been with, I've swallowed their semen, though it was immediately. I have never been tested for HIV, but have been blood tested for the other regular STDS, which all came back negative.
This past September, I developed two canker sores in my mouth, right after my period ended. I had never had them before, and they went away within a few days. This month, I developed some again when my period ended early in the month. I also have one that just popped up a day ago right below my tongue.
I am aware of the fact that oral sex carries a low risk, but do you think my canker sores are a symptom of HIV? Do you think I have any risk of having the disease.
Thank you so much

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your canker sores are not a risk factor for HIV.  Your risk of HIV is low since all of your vaginal exposures were protected and condoms work; your only unprotected exposures were oral.  Oral sex is very close to safe sex.  The risk of getting HIV from oral sex, IF THE PARTNER IS INFECTED,  is less than 1 in 10,000 exposures and I suspect it is very unlikely that your partners had HIV.  Having said that, you describe unprotected oral sex with 12 partners.  Thus you qualify for periodic STD/HIV "screening" (testing in the absence of symptoms) because you have had multiple partners over a period of less than a year.  As a matter of personal protection, we recommend annual testing for anyone who has had two or more sex partners in the past year (we consider this to be health maintenance- we also recommend you get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly). Your HIV test will be negative but you owe it to yourself to periodically get yourself checked for STD and HIV.  EWH

[puttablock]

Thank you thank you thank you. This was helpful and cleared up a lot. I will definitely get std/hiv screening asap.