what oral sex protection do you recommend?

Umm. Don't, if you don't know if she is clean then don't.

 

Just go get tested. Oral is generally a low risk activity.

Go get tested. It could save your life.

 

They say dental dams for this particular act. I have no clue what that is. I though people used some kind of saran wrap type barrier.

Oral is supposedly low risk. This is the single biggest debate on the HIV front. Some think it's as likely as winning the lottery (I disagree) and some think it's fairly risky (I disagree). They can't get accurate stats on this largely because they say they can't get a real and honest read on what people have and haven't done.

You're probably fine. Get tested anyway. Your status says "questioning." Do you enjoy doing this or are you doing it because it's requested?

A health provider once said 'If oral was high risk, we'd have a lot more infected people out there.' I thought that was interesting.

 

The experts recommend using a dental dam to perform cunnilingus. A dental dam is usually a square piece of latex or rubber that's placed over the vagina. You can get one at any Planned Parenthood.

 

Just make sure you do not have ANY open cuts on your fingers.

The performance issues can be due to a lot of things. That would require some introspection.

If you enjoy performing oral sex on women, then you probably aren't gay. Maybe this is easier for you since it doesn't require penetration. There are some straight men who don't enjoy performing oral sex on a woman.

 

Don't use saran wrap. It's porous, and thus can let viruses through. (Source: a friend of mine who used to work at Planned Parenthood.) Use a proper dental dam, or cut a condom (probably ultra-thin) in a straight line from the rim to the tip to make a make-shift one.

 

Men partake in anal sex which is the riskiest sex act and is more apt to create minor abrasions inside in the rectum, especially for the person receiving.

Men who have sex with men often have multiple partners, some of whom they barely know, and, if coupled with the use of drugs or alcohol to impair judgment, they might forget to take proper precautions.

Men who are out of the loop, or on the down low, are majorly in denial and think that they are categorically excluded or something. It's a virus. It doesn't discriminate.

 

I honestly hadn't considered the risk when performing oral sex on girls in the past. I was under the impression the risk was minimal and I always trusted who I was with (though I didn't do it with a lot of girls). I don't think you need to be so paranoid with regards to fingering a girl, as long as you don't stick your fingers in your mouth right afterwards or whatever I'm sure you'd be fine. Anyway, the best thing is to first know and trust the person you're doing it with.

 

get into the habit of flossing twice a day.. long term it will help reduce the chance of any fluid transfers into your blood stream due to bad gums...

 

I agree ... and somewhat disagree. I would not recommend oral sex shortly after flossing. Just like going for a cleaning, flossing can cause some bleeding and it needs a while. It's not a long time, but I'd wait more than 30 minutes to an hour!

 

Ok, I know this is gonna make me feel and sound really really old...but as a parent, i am going to tell you what I would tell my son. If you think you are old enough and mature enough to have sex, any form of sex, then you need to be old/mature enough to be responsible for all aspects of it. You mentioned you were scared to go get tested for any STDs or well STIs as they are calling them now, because you were afraid you might get told you have something....that right there tells me you may not yet be mentally mature enough to handle a sexual relationship...or maybe you are just too scared, I don't know. Just going off the first impressions I get when reading what you wrote. It seems to me you are however taking proper precautions when you are performing sexual acts and that shows a lot of maturity, so good job! But, don't forget...you aren't just sleeping with that person, but every person they ever slept with..and that goes for you as well...so your partner will be at risk too. This reminds me of that episode of Glee with Gwyneth Paltrow, (Ms. Holly Holiday) who is subbing for the sex ed teacher....she is talking about STIs and in it she sings a song and at the end she says " you are sleeping with every person your partner has....and everyone has a RANDOM!" Sex has many consequences, no matter what age you are. Sure it is as beautiful gift, but it can be devastating as well....something a counselor told me is this: "Once you have sex, you can never go back to just holding hands." That is very true. If this girl you are having sex with is special, then you should ask her to get tested, and offer to go with her. If she cares, and wants to continue your "fun time relationship" she will get tested. There is more than one meaning to a "healthy sex life" and this is one of them. It sounds to me though you have been very cautious, don't change that or stop that now. I have never had to use one but I did just have to help a very close friend of mine have "the talk" with her daughter. A dental dam for oral sex with girls is the right way to go. Not saran wrap, or any other similar material is recommended....a dental dam is specifically for oral sex with women. Just like a condom is for guys, you wouldn't use a balloon in place of a condom right? Nope, too risky, or at least I hope no sexually responsible person would.
Mostly STI/STDs are caused by fluid exchange/mixture...there is a lot of fluid exchanged during oral sex. So, only do what is proven to be safe, dental dam, condoms, and other proven contraceptives.

Ok, gonna stop sounding like a mom now lol....good luck!

 

Er... This is tough. Flossing over time makes sure that your gums don't become prone to gingivitis, which would be bad for oral sex and transmissions, etc. so you're correct on that part.

But flossing also usually cuts up your gums whether you notice it or not, so it shouldn't be done before you do have oral sex. So basically: flossing is good, but flossing a few hours before oral sex increases risk of transmission. Online figures say to wait anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours after flossing or brushing your teeth. To be safe, I'd say 4+ hours would be good to wait. Of course, I'm not a doctor and aren't qualified, but practicing safe behaviour and sex is, in my opinion, always better than not being informed or being reckless or not taking preventative measures at all.

Oral sex is considered less risky than vaginal/anal sex because our saliva ensures that some things don't survive long in our mouth. It's still a risk, though. And if you have cuts or sores in your mouth or on your lips, then it's probably best to not have oral sex.

 

You said you're afraid of getting tested.

It is much better to get tested and put your mind at ease. Then, provided everything is okay, you will be able to rest easy at night Also, while you're getting tested, it is the perfect time to get advice about being safe in the future and you can ask questions about safe sex practices in a non-judgmental atmosphere.

And remember, most STIs don't show symptoms, so you need to get tested. Early treatment is key, if you let infections go unchecked and untreated, you're going to regret it (also, you're going to be spreading it around to others).