Oral sex---what are the risks?

[Frank]

I've read some of the posts on oral sex. I didn't see any use of condoms for doing so. So, what are the exact risks of not using a condom?

[Tony T]

The following comes from the Columbia University (USA) Health Education Program and is printed here, word for word, from their online site:

 

The risks depend on whether or not the man was infected with a sexually transmitted disease, and which one. Herpes can definitely be transmitted through unprotected oral sex if the sore is in the infectious stage. It is believed that HIV can also be transmitted through unprotected oral sex (The virus is also present in the "pre-cum", not only the ejaculate). Yeast infections, gonorrhea, and syphilis can be transmitted, genital warts cannot, and with chlamydia, it is possible, but unlikely to pass chlamydia to the throat if you perform oral sex on an infected man. If you are concerned make an appointment for a complete STD checkup. Let the provider know that you are concerned about oral sex and the possibilities of having contracted an STD in your mouth. You can also make an appointment for an HIV test approximately three months after the high-risk activity occurred.

 

Although HIV has been detected in very small amounts in the saliva of some HIV-positive people, there have not been documented cases of a man or woman transferring the virus from his or her mouth through the genitals of his or her partner. Without question, the greater risk of contracting HIV rests with the performer of oral sex, although many AIDS researchers and service agencies consider this low-risk as long as one's mouth is free of ulcers or open cuts. Ejaculating outside the mouth, not swallowing ejaculate, and/or reducing the frequency of these sex acts, lowers risk even more. If one receives oral sex from a partner with a cold sore or herpes, his or her chances of contracting this sexually transmitted disease are higher, as compared to HIV transmission.

 

I hope this is of some help. If you need more information, just enter: "oral sex risks" in a good search engine and you will get a wealth of information.