Oral Sex Affects Your Oral Health
When you're thinking about oral sex, learning about the connections between oral sex, oral health, and oral hygiene is probably the last thing on your mind. Oral sex is relatively common among people of all sexualities and genders, but how much do you know about oral sex and oral health? How often do you use protection when having oral sex? When was the last time you went to the dentist for your checkup or cleaning?
Despite the popularity of oral sex in mainstream sexual health discussions and the media, many people are unaware of the realities that oral sex plays on oral health. Several sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are contracted via oral sex, impacting your overall oral health. Because of stigma and shame around discussing STIs and oral sex, oral infections are often under-diagnosed, overlooked, and dismissed as not a "real health problem."
Hi, I'm Sadia, a women's health nurse practitioner here to answer your pressing questions on how oral sex affects oral health. In honor of Oral Cancer Awareness Month and STI Awareness Month, which occur every April, I will discuss all things oral sex and oral health!
If you're eager to learn all things about oral sex and oral health, this blog post is for you!
What Is Oral Sex?
Let's start with the basics! Oral sex is defined as using your mouth to arouse the genitals of your partner(s) sexually. There are many types of oral sex, such as sexually stimulating a penis (fellatio), arousing the vulva and vagina (cunnilingus), and sexually arousing the anus and buttocks (anilingus). Oral sex is common among sexually active people of all ages, and it's typically done as a precursor to other sexual activities or done as the main sexual act. Oral sex often involves the lips, tongue, teeth, and hands to position oneself and partner(s) to achieve more satisfying sexual experiences and orgasms. Oral sex often involves vaginal secretions, pre-ejaculatory fluids, semen, sweat, saliva, and more, depending on people's interests in bodily fluids!
How Does Oral Sex Spread STIs?
First, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) is an infection transmitted from sexual activity, including oral sex. Oral sex involves several fluids, such as blood, urine, and fecal matter. When fluids mix, regardless of sexual activity, risks for infections increase because fluids naturally contain bacteria and other matters found in that original person's body.
For instance, let's say you are having oral sex with someone, and that person has a dental infection that was never treated, like bleeding gums or a root canal. Or this person had oral sex with a partner before you and has not been tested for STIs. Now, this person will be licking, sucking, and using their mouth on your genitals. This can lead to your fluids mixing in with their blood, saliva, and other fluids, leading to fluid mixing pleasure (and sometimes chaos). While fluid mixing and oral stimulation can be very arousing, it poses quite the risk for oral infections to thrive and STIs to transmit from one person to another.
Here lies the connection between oral sex and oral health. Many people think oral sex is an "STI-free" sexual experience because of the lack of physical penetration. Several STIs, such as chlamydia, HPV, and gonorrhea, can live in the throat and be transmitted via oral sex. Physical contact and fluids allow STIs to transmit very easily. Also, since many people do not think oral sex is "real sex," people are less likely to use protection when engaging in oral sex or seek out STI testing services if they are only engaging in oral sex. It is also important to note that more research is being done to determine the risks between oral sex and oral health since, for many years, most sexual health research has focused on vaginal sex.
What Are Symptoms of an Oral Infection?
Oral infections are among the most common infections for people of all ages. Common oral infections include a cavity, which is the build-up of tooth decay, and gingivitis, a chronic condition where the gums are inflamed. Oral infections often have symptoms of tooth pain, mouth pain, teeth sensitivity, and bleeding gums. It is hard to diagnose sexually transmitted oral infections, such as syphilis or gonorrhea because they are often asymptomatic. People often think that to have an STI, there must be severe reactions to the body, such as oozing blood, fever, or chronic pain. The truth is the most common STI symptom is asymptomatic, meaning no signs or symptoms.
Even though the most common symptoms of STIs are no symptoms, some people with oral chlamydia or gonorrhea can have a sore throat. A unique symptom of oral Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is warts in the throat, also known as laryngeal or respiratory papillomatosis. A distinct symptom of syphilis is a painless ulcer in the mouth or throat. People who have very robust immune systems might have an STI and not notice any changes in their throat, rectum, or genitals. An asymptomatic illness frequently makes people think that they do not have any STIs and can continue to have sex without protection or regular testing.
Why Should I Go to the Dentist?
While STI testing can be done at your local STI testing clinic, your local dentist can also find signs of possible STIs and oral cancer in your mouth. Regardless of your sexual activity, the American Dental Association recommends getting your teeth cleaned every six months. Your teeth and gums do many things for your body, such as chewing food, talking, drinking, holding your facial muscles in place, and so much more.
If you plan on engaging in oral sex with your partner(s), Oral health professionals recommend the following actions:
Do a mouth check and make sure you have no sores, wounds, ulcers, cuts, herpes flare-ups, or gum disease signs. If so, don't perform oral sex!
Don't brush or floss your teeth before oral sex because it can cause small cuts or bleeding in your mouth
Wear a Condom or Dental Dam during Sex
Following oral sex, rinse your mouth with an anti-bacterial mouthwash
Make an appointment with your local dentist to get your mouth checked out. Often, people delay seeking health care services until they are in pain. But, regularly getting your teeth cleaned and evaluated allows you to take charge of your health and be aware of your body. The truth is many people delay oral health because of costs. I get it! Dental care can be expensive. I have delayed health care for financial reasons. And if you're in America, some health insurances do not cover dental or oral health care, leading to further financial concerns regarding dental care.
If you are struggling financially to afford healthcare, here are some tips to still access dental care:
1. Reach out to local dentists and see if they offer an in-house dental care plan
2. Ask your employer to see if they offer any dental coverage
3. Search for local community health centers to see if they provide dental health services at a lower price
4. Consider buying your own dental insurance
The dentist offers so many options for oral health care, such as dental cleanings, gum health evaluations, and oral cancer screenings.
Wait, I Can Get Oral Cancer from Oral Sex? What?!
Yes, you can get oral cancer from oral sex and other things that can influence your oral health, such as smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol. While more research is underway to determine the exact link between oral sex and oral health cancer risks, your mouth is susceptible. People who use tobacco or drink alcohol are at an increased risk of developing oral cancer. A routine checkup at the dentist allows for an oral cancer screening opportunity. Most dentists recommend getting screened for oral cancer at least once every three years if you are over 20 years old.
Dentists, doctors, and other licensed health care providers can perform oral cancer screenings. These screenings are very straightforward and often involve a special light or mirrors to look into the mouth to notice any bumps, skin abnormalities, or tissue concerns. If the health care provider sees anything unusual on the oral cancer screening, they will discuss it with you and may take a sample of your tissue (known as a biopsy) for further testing.
Some signs and symptoms of oral cancer include:
Pain, irritation, lump, or a thick patch in your mouth, lip, or throat
A sore throat
Trouble with chewing, swallowing, or speaking
Difficulty moving your jaw or tongue
Swelling of your jaw
Numbness in your tongue or other areas of your mouth
Ear pain
What's the Connection Between Oral Sex and Oral Cancer?
People who have oral sex are at risk of contracting HPV orally. The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common STI in America and one of the most elusive. Its most common symptom is no symptom, and many people are unaware that it can lead to different oral cancers if left untreated. HPV can spread in the oropharynx, also known as the back of the throat, including the base of the tongue and tonsils. More research is needed to understand the systemic effects of HPV, tobacco, and alcohol on the spread of oral cancer in the body.
With the rise of cases of oropharyngeal cancers, especially over the last decade, oral sex and oral health discussions need to be integrated into sexual health discussions. I recommend practicing good dental hygiene and talking with your partner(s) about their oral health as part of your general conversations. Oral sex and oral health do not need to be mutually exclusive topics! Have conversations about getting your teeth cleaned and oral health since your mouth plays a crucial role in your sex life and relationship.
How Can I Have Safer Oral Sex and Prevent the Spread of STIs?
I know I just told you many scary things about what is honestly a great sexual activity. This doesn't mean you can never have oral sex again or dread reading about oral sex and health.
Here are some tips to have safer oral sex and promote healthy oral health:
1. When engaging in oral sex, use a condom or dental dam.
a. Talk with your partner about flavors for condoms and dental dams to make things sexy and fun!
b. If you're in a jam, you can also use saran wrap or cut gloves to make a make-shift barrier for oral sex on a vulva.
2. Regularly clean and disinfect your sex toys.
3. Regularly brush your teeth, including your gums and tongue, and floss.
4. Get regular STI testing, regardless of whether or not you have symptoms if you're having sex
5. Get a regular dental cleaning
6. Get the HPV vaccine! The HPV vaccine can protect against the transmission of certain types of HPV strains.
If you are concerned about oral sex and oral health, I recommend reaching out to your health care provider for more information.
Remember to share this post with a friend in honor of STI Awareness Month and Oral Cancer Awareness Month!
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/std/healthcomm/stdfact-stdriskandoralsex.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/conditions/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/hpv/basic_info/hpv_oropharyngeal.htm
https://moffitt.org/cancers/oral-cavity-or-throat-cancer/faqs/how-often-oral-cancer-screening/
https://www.cancer.gov/types/head-and-neck/patient/oral-screening-pdq
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/oral-cancer-screening/about/pac-20394802
https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/oral-cancer
Mark, A. (2017). Oral Cancer: What to do if something unusual shows up. The Journal of the American Dental Association, 148(10). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2017.07.021
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