Arguments about oral sex Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Arguments about oral sex - Essay Example The only thing oral sex can be considered safe for is if the couple wish to avoid pregnancy (incase the couple in question is heterosexual) because the transmission of disease is not stopped if partners engage in oral sex. Diseases like Chlamydia, HPV, gonorrhea, herpes, hepatitis, and HIV can all be transmitted through the unsafe practice of oral sex. For all practical purposes, if the objective is to avoid disease then oral sex is no safer than anal or vaginal sex. In fact, as reported by the University of Malmo in Sweden, unprotected oral sex with a person who is already infected with HPV increases the risk of oral cancer (Wikipedia 2006). Additionally, health advisors recommend that oral sex should be totally avoided when either participant has any cuts or scrapes on the genitals or the mouth. Moreover, brushing teeth before oral sex may not be a good idea since it can cause small scratches on the lining of the mouth which may help the transmission of microscopic bacteria or viru ses. Similarly, flossing, dental work or crunchy food can also make oral sex more unsafe that it already is for the same medically recorded reasons (Wikipedia 2006). However, in spite of all the risks involved, there are simple ways in which oral sex can be made as safe as other sexual practices. The first and foremost recommendation for safe oral sex is to use a condom in case it is being performed on a man. There is little reason not to since there are flavored condoms available for those who say that they do not like the taste of regular condoms.