More About The Health Realities Of Giving and Receiving Fellatio

Here is an answer to another frequently asked question about oral sex.

5. It is impossible to get pregnant as a result of giving oral sex.

In human beings, there is no connection between the reproductive tract and the upper digestive tract. Any semen that is swallowed is digested in the stomach, where powerful stomach acids break nearly everything that is swallowed down. It is possible for a woman to get pregnant if she transfers semen ejaculated during oral sex to her vagina, but this is also very unlikely.

6. Condoms and dental dams reduce the risk of disease transmission during oral sex.

A condom is worn by the man receiving fellatio, while a dental dam is used by the person performing the oral sex. There are flavored condoms for this purpose. It is important to use a real dental dam, the kind you buy at a drugstore, rather than to try to make your own, since cutting out plastic to make a homemade dental dam can introduce small holes in the protective layer. Some couples improvise with plastic wrap, but most report that this reduces sensation for both partners while not guaranteeing safety. Condoms cannot be used with oil-based lubricants; these will break down the latex (although oil-based lubricants can be used with sheepskin condoms).

7. Syphilis is particularly easy to transmit through oral sex.

Syphilis, a sexually-transmitted disease that can have extremely serious consquences though it is not talked about nearly as often as HIV, causes painless sores called chancres. These chancres can be white, purple, or gray circles on the penis, or white spots in the mouth. Many people who have syphilis don't even know that they have it. There is an epidemic of syphilis in larger cities in Texas and the South of the US, although the disease is almost unknown in some parts of the USA.

8. Don't perform oral sex within 30 minutes of brushing or flossing your teeth.

It takes about 30 minutes for the lining of your mouth to heal after brushing or flossing. Waiting at least half an hour before oral sex reduces the likelihood of receiving an infection from the partner's penis. Don't perform oral sex at all for 2 days after having your teeth cleaned or other dental procedures.

9. If you do swallow semen, use mouthwash as soon as possible.

An antibacterial mouthwash reduces the risk of infection with yeasts, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis. You don't have to gargle any longer than usual. About 15 seconds is enough.

10. Don't feel pressured to have oral sex.

You shouldn't feel you have to perform oral sex every time your partner requests it, and you should not feel like you have to receive it either, for that matter. It also helps to limit the number of your sexual partners. The fewer people with whom you have sex, the fewer infections to which you will be exposed, and the more likely it is your partner will tell you when infection is discovered.