How Safe is Oral Sex?
As the level of HIV risk involved in oral sex is debated by researchers nor health experts and contradicting studies are reported, the public is left in confusion. It is known that oral sex is less risky than anal or vaginal sex; however, no one, not researchers nor health experts, can determine what that risk level is.
At the International Conference on AIDS held this summer, researcher Timothy Schacker reported that, while the risk linked to a single act of fellatio is much lower than that for anal sex, the higher frequency of oral sex among gay men could attribute to significant cumulative risk. Although case reports show that few people have contracted HIV from fellatio, but a survey of 40 AIDS doctors across the country indicates that many such cases are not identified.
The estimated HIV risk for fellatio varies widely, in part because of the degrees of infectiousness among HIV patients and susceptibility among uninfected persons. Among the 80 to 90 percent of gay men who engage in oral sex, only 3 to 6 percent use condoms. One study of heterosexuals found that about 75 percent did not use condoms while performing fellatio. Other precautions that can be taken in addition to condoms include avoiding oral sex with strangers and not performing fellatio while mouth cuts or sores are apparent.
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