Can you get an STD from oral sex?

It’s common knowledge that you can easily catch an STD if you have unprotected sex. But does the same apply for oral sex? The simple answer to this question is: Yes, you can also get an STD from oral sex!

It is often believed that it’s either super rare or impossible to catch an STD via oral sex. That’s far from the truth, however! In fact, certain STDs, like genital herpes, gonorrhoea, and syphilis, are actually more commonly spread via oral sex than they are via anal or vaginal sex! That doesn’t automatically mean that you’re safe from catching any others, though. You can also get infected with things like chlamydia or HPV when practicing unprotected oral sex. Why? Simply because using your mouth to pleasure your partner still comes with potentially touching infected areas of skin and the exchange of body fluids which is how STDs spread.

So, no matter whether you’re planning on having oral, vaginal, or anal sex – practicing safer sex should never be out of the question! Want to learn more? Then head over to our comprehensive guide on STDs.