Whats Oral sex?
Oral sex, also known as blow job (BJ), giving a head, going down, or oral intercourse, is a type of sexual activity involving the stimulation of persons genitalia by another individual using the mouth, the lips, tongue, teeth or throat to sexually arouse with or without the achievement of an orgasm . Oral stimulation of parts of the body apart from the genitals is usually not regarded as oral sex. Oral sex is often performed as foreplay to incite sexual arousal before other sexual activities such as vaginal or anal intercourse can take place. See : What Is Oral Sex
What Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Can You Get from Oral Sex?
There are several sexually transmitted infections that can be transmitted through oral sex these include:
Genital herpes –Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease caused by two types of viruses namely the herpes simplex type 1 and herpes simplex type 2 which are both transmitted by having sexual contact (vaginal, anal, or oral sex) with an infected individual.According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), about one in every six people aged 14 to 49 years have genital herpes in the United States, while the World Health Organization (WHO), estimates that about 140 million people primarily in the Americas, Europe and Western Pacific aged between 15-49 years are infected with HSV-1 virus. Click Here to see : Genital Herpes symptoms
Gonorrhea – Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease caused by a microorganism called Neisseria gonorrhoeae otherwise known as gonococcus. Individuals become infected when their genitals come in contact with penile or vaginal discharge during intercourse or other sexual activities.The disease affects about 0.6% of men and 0.8% of women globally. Annually, between 33 to 106 million new cases of gonorrhea occur out of the estimated 498 million new cases of curable sexually transmitted infections recorded worldwide. If left untreated, the disease can lead to major health complications.
Chlamydia – Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease caused by bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. It can infect both men and women. Women can get chlamydia in the cervix, rectum, or throat. Men can get chlamydia in the inside the penis (urethra), the rectum, or throat.The recommended treatment for chlamydia is doxycycline which is taken for 7 days. The other treatment is azithromycin, a single dose antibiotic which is more than 95% effective in treating chlamydia. Also See : Can You get Chlamydia From a Toilet
HIV- HIV stands for “Human Immuno Deficiency Virus” it is the causative agent of AIDS. AIDS stands for “Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome”. It is caused by the HIV virus which weakens the immune System (body’s defence mechanism) and makes a person susceptible to all kinds of infections.
Human-papilloma Virus – it is the most common sexually transmitted infection, (STI) that affects both females and males. Around 79 million Americans, most in their late teens and early 20s, are infected with HPV according to the Center for Disease Control . There are many different types of HPV. Note that HPV is a different virus from HIV the causative agent of AIDS, and HSV which causes herpes.
Trichomoniasis – Trichomoniasis or trich is a sexually transmitted disease caused by a one celled protozoa called Trichomonas vaginalis. This organism causes the infection of the urethra in men while infection occurs in both the urethra and vagina in women. A person cannot contract trichomoniasis vaginalis by physical contact such as hugging or kissing as the organism is primarily transmitted through sexual contact involving the genitals. The organism typically infects the squamous epithelial tissues of the genital tract.
How Do I prevent Sexually Transmitted Infection During Oral Sex?
– Practice safe sex and use a condom if you’re going to have oral sex where a penis is involved.
– Remain Faithful to your faithful partner as multiple sexual partners significantly increases your risk of infection.
– Do not brush your teeth after oral sex because abrasions during brushing can provide an easy orifice for disease causing microorganism to gain entrance into your body and cause disease. Washing your mouth with water is safer.
However washing or brushing your teeth after oral sex does not completely stop you contacting an STI.
