Can you get STIs from oral sex?

oral herpesYes! Just about all of the STIs, including: HIV, Herpes, HPV, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and Chlamydia can be transmitted through unprotected oral sex. You may not be able to tell if your partner has an STI since a person can be contagious before they have symptoms. Using condoms and dental dams can lower your risk, but they aren’t 100% effective in preventing the transmission of all STIs.

If you or your sexual partner(s) have symptoms of an STI, do not have any kind of sexual activity (including oral sex) until you get treated by your health care provider (HCP). Tell your HCP if you are having oral sex so that you can get screened for any oral or throat infections.