Mouth
Penis
Activity:
Fallatio is often refered to as 'Oral sex' or 'blowjobs'. It can be pleasurable for some people to give and receive oral sex. This may involve kissing, licking and sucking the penis and testicles.
Risks:
There's a risk of getting or passing on STIs if you're giving or receiving oral sex. The risk increases if either of you have sores or cuts around the mouth or vagina.
This is because viruses and bacteria, which may be present in semen, vaginal fluid or blood, can travel easily into a partner's body through breaks in the skin.
Generally, the risk of infection is lower when you receive oral sex than when you give someone oral sex. However, it is still possible for STIs to be passed on.
How to make it safe:
Flavoured condoms are designed for oral sex, make sure a new condom is used if moving from oral sex to penetration.
Objects
Activity:
Use different foods or explore different shapes with the tongue. Having oral sex with an object or sex toy can be pleasurable and arousing. Different textures, flavours and shapes can give sexual stimulation to all the people involved.
Risks:
There are minimal risks associated with this activity. If sharing objects between mouths, then there is a risk of the cold sore virus (herpes simplex 1) being transmitted.
How to make it safe:
Make sure objects are cleaned when changing partners or orifices. You could also consider using flavoured condoms.
Mouth
Activity:
Kissing can be pleasurable and can be an important part of arousal. There are many ways to explore the mouth including using your tongue and lips to suck, lick and kiss another person's mouth.
Risks:
If one partner has the cold sore virus (herpes simplex 1) then there is a risk of transmission through kissing.
How to make it safe:
Avoid kissing before or during an outbreak
Hands and Fingers
Activity:
The mouth, hands and fingers are all very sensitive. Kissing the hands and fingers, stroking the lips or sucking fingers can all be a pleasurable part of sex.
Risks:
If someone has the cold sore virus (Herpes simplex 1) on their mouth then there is a small risk of passing the virus on if masturbating genitals after touch a mouth.
How to make it safe:
Make sure you have clean hands keep finger nails trimmed.
Vulva/Vagina
Activity:
Often referred to as 'oral sex' or 'cunnilingus'. It can be pleasurable for some people to give and received oral sex. You can explore the vulva with the tongue and lips by kissing, sucking and licking the clitoris, labia and vaginal opening.
Risks:
There's a risk of getting or passing on STIs if you're giving or receiving oral sex. The risk increases if either of you has sores or cuts around the mouth or vagina.
This is because viruses and bacteria, which may be present in semen, vaginal fluid or blood, can travel more easily into a partner's body through breaks in the skin.
Generally, the risk of infection is lower when you receive oral sex than when you give someone oral sex. However, it is still possible for STIs to be passed on.
How to make it safe:
Using dams over the vulva/vagina can help reduce the risk, however it doesn't remove the risk completley. You can request these by contacting the health improvement team or a TAZ worker.
Anus
Activity:
'Oral sex' or 'rimming'. It can be pleasurable for some people to experience giving and receiving oral sex to the anus. You can explore the anus with the tongue and lips by kissing, sucking and licking the area.
Risks:
There's a risk of getting or passing on STIs if you're giving or receiving oral sex. The risk increases if either of you has sores or cuts around the mouth or vagina.
This is because viruses and bacteria, which may be present in semen, vaginal fluid or blood, can travel more easily into a partner's body through breaks in the skin.
Generally, the risk of infection is lower when you receive oral sex than when you give someone oral sex. However, it is still possible for STIs to be passed on.
How to make it safe:
Using dams over the anus can reduce the risk although it doesn't remove it completley. You can request these by contacting the health improvement team or a TAZ worker.