Common questions about oral sex

Can you get an STI from rimming (oral-anal contact)?

Yes. Rimming (mouth on anus) can transmit several infections. On the gut side: hepatitis A, parasites, and bacteria like E. coli and salmonella. On the STI side: if the person receiving rimming has rectal gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, HPV, or syphilis, those can potentially spread to the person’s mouth or throat.Risk goes up if there are sores, cuts, or bleeding, or if you’ve just brushed/flossed your teeth (which creates tiny mouth tears). Using a dental dam or cut-open condom as a barrier between mouth and anus dramatically lowers risk. If rimming is part of your regular sex life, ask for both throat and rectal swabs when you get STI testing.

Do condoms actually help for oral sex, or is that overkill?

Condoms absolutely reduce STI risk during oral on a penis. They cut down transmission of gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, and in some cases herpes and HPV. Flavored condoms exist specifically to make oral less latex-y and more fun. If you’re not into latex, there are polyurethane and polyisoprene options.Is it “overkill”? That’s a values question. If your partner is new, you don’t know their testing history, or you know they’re not strictly monogamous, condoms for oral are a smart line to draw. You can always renegotiate later if you both test regularly and build real trust.

Is oral sex safer during my period?

No. Your menstrual cycle doesn’t make oral sex safer from an STI standpoint. In fact, blood can carry infections like HIV and hepatitis B, and if there’s blood in the mix—from your period, from gum bleeding, or from microtears—transmission risk can go up.What *does* change with your cycle: hormones. Around your period and in the luteal phase, you might feel crampy, bloated, and less interested in certain types of sex. Right after your period and around ovulation, higher estrogen and a little testosterone bump can increase libido and make you more likely to say yes. Use that self-knowledge to plan protection—not to replace it.

How often should I get tested if I’m having oral and anal sex with more than one partner?

If you’re sexually active with multiple partners (even if it’s “situationship chaos” and not a full roster), aim for STI testing every 3–6 months. If condoms or barriers are sometimes skipped, lean closer to the 3-month mark.Tell the clinic exactly what you do: oral on penis, oral on vulva, receptive anal, rimming, toys, all of it. Ask for throat swabs, rectal swabs, urine/genital tests, and bloodwork for HIV and syphilis. If any partner injects drugs, has anonymous hookups, or does sex work, add hepatitis B/C testing. You’re not being extra; you’re refusing to be collateral damage in someone else’s secrets.

Does my birth control protect me from STIs during oral or anal?

No. Hormonal birth control (pill, patch, ring, implant, shot, hormonal IUD) and copper IUDs only protect against pregnancy, not infections. They don’t block herpes, HPV, HIV, chlamydia, or anything else from traveling between mouths, genitals, and anus.They *do* change your hormones and bleeding patterns, which can blur STI symptoms—like spotting that hides infection-related bleeding, or discharge changes that are hard to interpret. That’s even more reason to lean on condoms, dental dams, and regular testing. Birth control plus barriers is a power move, not “doing too much.”If you want to sanity-check what you’re seeing in your discharge, cramps, or cycle chaos, you can always hit up Gush to unpack patterns, ask the uncomfortable questions, or just confirm that your version of normal is actually normal.