Risk from performing Oral sex on a woman

[jcamp1]

Again I must thank you for this great resource. I have a question that will be of value to many men out there. We are all pretty familiar with the risks from sex and receiving oral sex if you are a male. What if you are a male performing Oral sex on a woman? What diseases are the male at risk for? Is there anything men can do when performing Oral sex on a woman to cut down on risks of contracting diseases? Could the male in theory spread anyting to the female?

Thanks so much

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

In general, the risk is very low of acquiring an STD of the mouth or throat through oral sex.  Herpes, HPV, and syphilis are possibilities, but oral infection with any of these is very rare; once in a long while a busy STD clinic may see such a case.  Gonorrhea may sometimes occur, but gonorrhea of the mouth and throat is rare, even in persons who have performed oral sex on a woman known to have gonorrhea.  Chlamydia is not an issue; it rarely infects the mouth or throat, and if there is a risk of HIV, it is extremely low.

The risk of transmitting an oral infection to the female partner may be somewhat higher.  The most common is genital herpes due to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), normally the cause of oral herpes.  A lot of initial genital herpes these days is due to HSV-1, because oral sex is so much more common than in past years.  In theory others, such as syphilis, herpes is the only one common enough to worry about.

Dental dams--i.e., the very thin latex sheets used by dentists to isolate one tooth from the others when drilling etc--are often recommended.  Saran wrap and similar products also would work.  But in general the risk is so low that most people don't bother.  The only exception might be when one or the other partner is known to be infected.

Regards--  HHH, MD

[RobinsonL]

Qustion what does it mean if you got white spots on the back of your mouth bye were you swolw

[veryconcerned123]

Hello Jcamp,

I am no Dr., but if you are giving oral to a woman you could contract herpes, or possibly syphilis.  

I am not sure if genital warts could be passed from her vagina to your mouth or not.

I am not sure about the others, Gon, Chyl. etc. I think that would be pretty rare, but I think that it COULD happen.

I wold recommend just not having oral. I know that is hard to hear, but is the risk really worth it?

Good luck to you.