Q: How much of a risk is there of contracting STDs from oral sex? What about manual genital stimulation?

Q: How much of a risk is there of contracting STDs from oral sex? What about manual genital stimulation?

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A: There is a risk of contracting many STIs through oral sex, though that risk can be lower if you properly use barrier methods. According to the CDC, the following STIs can spread through oral sex: chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes (herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2), HPV (human papillomavirus), and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).

There is a lower risk for manual sex, but it still exists.

Check out these two sources for more information on oral sex and STIs and how to prevent them:

https://www.cdc.gov/sti/about/about-sti-risk-and-oral-sex.html

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/oral-sex-std-risk-chart#st-is-that-spread-through-oral-sex