The most effective way to prevent STIs during oral sex is to use a condom if you are giving oral sex to a man or a dental dam for oral sex on a woman or oralanal sex.
A dental dam is a thin, soft plastic cover that acts as a barrier. If you don’t have one, you can cut a condom lengthways from bottom to top to make one piece of material that can be used instead. Hold one side of the dam against your partner’s vagina or anus and lick the other. Never turn the dam over just use one side.
If you are having oral sex during your or your partner’s period, using a dam is even more important because menstrual blood can carry bacteria and viruses, just like other blood.
Other steps that prevent infection:
don&39;t brushyour teeth straight before oral sex as this may make your mouth or gums bleed
avoid getting semen (cum) in your mouth.
avoid oral sex if either you or your partner has sores around your mouth, genitals or anus, damaged or bleeding gums, or infection in your throat or mouth. These mean a high risk of passing on STIs. Be aware that you may not know if you or your partner has an STI as infections can be passed on evenif there are no obvious signs or symptoms. If you do have sores around your mouth, genitals or anus, you should get them checked out by a healthcare professional as they may be a sign of an infection.
