Is oral sex a safe way from contacting STIs and HIV?

Oral sex is when you stimulate your partner’s genitals through sucking or licking their penis, vagina, vulva, clitoris and anus using your mouth, lips or tongue. It is estimated that, over 85% of sexually active youths and adults between the ages of 15 - 44 years are reported to having an oral sex with their partners at least once.

A lot of young people think that oral sex is completely safe but is Oral sex really safe? Research has shown that you can still contact or pass some STIs when having oral sex. Bleeding gums, gum disease and sores in the mouth or on the genitals may lead to infection of STIs. Some of the diseases or infections transmitted through oral sex include gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV and herpes.

To minimize the risk of getting STIs, one should use a dental dam or a condom. For an oral sex on a man’s penis, it is recommended that you use a condom to reduce your risk of getting an STI infection. If you do not like the taste of regular condoms, it is advised that you should try a flavored one.

For an oral sex on a woman’s vagina or anus, it is advisable that you use a dental dam. A dental dam is a thin latex that dentists use as a protective measure while working on a patient’s teeth. It can also be used to prevent the spread of STIs during oral sex. It is usually placed over a woman’s vulva and anus before one performs an oral sex. They usually act as a barrier between the mouth and the genital.

Since dental dams are still new and not widely available here in Kenya, one can actually make a dental dam using a latex condom. Carefully take a condom out of its package and unroll it .Use a scissor to cut off the tip and base of the condom and cut down the length of the tube. Unroll the condom to a rectangular shape and you will have an effective dental dam.

It is time we as a young people started practicing safer sex to prevent STIs and HIV from spreading from one person to another. Stay safe. Practice safe sex.