Is unprotected oral sex always dangerous?
January 21, 2008
If both partners have been tested negative for STDs, what stops them from having unprotected sex? I mean, surely BJs and different moves are almost standard in gay couples, but then you have websites giving you perhaps too much precautions, making you wonder how a blowjob can even be remotely pleasuring with a condom on (just a hypothetical example).
The only STD I am aware of that you can get from someone who doesn’t have an STD is non-gonococcal urethritis. Or in plain English, a urinary tract infection (UTI) that isn’t caused by a bacteria like gonorrhea. We all have bacteria in our mouths. Normally they’re harmless, but when you give someone a blowjob on rare occasions he can develop a UTI. This is pretty rare, but it does happen. Fortunately they’re not uncommon and you doctor won’t ask embarrassing questions if you get one. It’s the penile equivalent of a sore throat. Sometimes you just get these things for no apparent reason, and a few days of antibiotics will get rid of it.
More to your point, if both partners are 100% free of STDs, they naturally can’t pass them on to each other (with the above exception). The catch is that you can’t be 100% sure of anyone. One reason is that men cheat and lie about it. Another is that some people can have an STD but now show any symptoms, passing it on to other people because they don’t know they have it.
Because sex inherently has risk involved, most people figure out a level of risk that is acceptable for them. For some that means barebacking with anyone they meet. That’s extreme though, and most people elect to use condoms for anal sex while not using them for oral. Others prefer to be very cautious though, choosing to use condoms for oral as well. Or at least until they become monogamous and develop a higher trust level for a selected partner. Then they may be willing to take a greater level of risk with that person.
There’s no "right" decision regarding what level of risk to take. It is a matter for you and your partner(s) to decide. But asking this question is a smart move, as one should always learn the risks before they decide upon a course of action.
More to your point, if both partners are 100% free of STDs, they naturally can’t pass them on to each other (with the above exception). The catch is that you can’t be 100% sure of anyone. One reason is that men cheat and lie about it. Another is that some people can have an STD but now show any symptoms, passing it on to other people because they don’t know they have it.
Because sex inherently has risk involved, most people figure out a level of risk that is acceptable for them. For some that means barebacking with anyone they meet. That’s extreme though, and most people elect to use condoms for anal sex while not using them for oral. Others prefer to be very cautious though, choosing to use condoms for oral as well. Or at least until they become monogamous and develop a higher trust level for a selected partner. Then they may be willing to take a greater level of risk with that person.
There’s no "right" decision regarding what level of risk to take. It is a matter for you and your partner(s) to decide. But asking this question is a smart move, as one should always learn the risks before they decide upon a course of action.
