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A few years ago, I stumbled on a DVD by leading sex educator Jaiya titled Oral Sex for Couples. The sleeve claimed that this DVD contained over 40 techniques that can help us take our oral sex skills to a new level of mastery – and it was only the first of a series of 3 videos!
Needless to say, I was very intrigued because most of us only know about 10 oral sex techniques. But beyond techniques, I wondered about other aspects of oral sex that we may be unaware of.
Let’s examine this sexual practice:
According to Wikipedia, oral sex or oral intercourse is a sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a person by another person using the mouth (including the lips, tongue, or teeth) or throat. When oral sex is performed on a woman, it is called cunnilingus, while fellatio is oral sex performed on a man. Anilingus is the less common practice of using the mouth to stimulate a person’s anus.
Oral sex has been observed in many species in the animal kingdom from primates to non-primates and humans. This phenomenon may suggest that there could be an evolutionary advantage to oral sex.
Attitude toward oral sex varies greatly culturally and historically. For example in Ancient Rome, it was considered humiliating to perform fellatio because only low-status individuals such as slaves were involved in such practices. However, receiving oral sex was acceptable.
By contrast in Chinese Taoism, cunnilingus is perceived as a spiritually fulfilling practice that has the ability to increase longevity. In modern Western culture, oral sex is commonly practiced by adolescents and adults of both genders and different sexual orientations.
Furthermore, there are individual differences in the perception of oral sex. Some people view this practice as unclean and unnatural because it doesn’t lead to procreation. Others may consider oral sex very intimate because it requires vulnerability and deep trust in one’s partner.
Some heterosexual couples and a small percentage of homosexual pairings use oral sex as a means to preserve virginity. While heterosexual couples may forgo vaginal intercourse, their homosexual male and female counterparts may respectively avoid penile-anal and fingering penetration.
The concept of technical virginity is particularly popular among teenagers who may not be ready for vaginal intercourse and the risk of unwanted pregnancy. Oral sex remains a low-pregnancy risk activity as long as semen is kept away from the vaginal area after ejaculation.
Interestingly, Australian researcher, Sarah A. Robertson Ph.D. argued that fellatio may induce immunological tolerance in women by exposing them to the proteins found in their partner’s semen. Her 2003 study suggests that paternal tolerance can reduce the risk of miscarriages during pregnancy, especially if the semen was ingested.
There are various ways to make oral sex a fun experience for both men and women. Australian sex educator Hayley Quinn suggests incorporating common kitchen items into oral intercourse.
For example, you can take a sip of a sugar-free carbonated drink, a mint, or a piece of ice in your mouth to perform oral sex. You can also use a hot drink such as tea to trigger a different sensation. Quinn explains that since the genitalia area is very sensitive to touch and temperature, each food item will create a unique sensation, especially if they are combined.
However, there are health risks to oral sex. You can contract sexually transmitted infections such as Chlamydia, human papillomavirus (HPV), syphilis, gonorrhea, intestinal parasites, herpes, and hepatitis through unprotected oral sex. This risk increases if you come into contact with your partner’s semen or vaginal fluids while the person receiving oral sex is at low risk of being infected. Unfortunately, very few people use protection because oral sex is perceived as a low-risk activity even when performed on a one-night stand.
A 2005 study by Swedish dentist and researcher Kerstin Rosenquist at Malmo University linked an increased risk of mouth cancer with oral sex. 36% of 132 oral cancer patients carried the high-risk HPV16 strain compared to just 1% in the control group. This cancer risk was observed even when other risk factors such as tobacco or alcohol use were not present.
Another 2007 study by Mura Gillison, assistant professor at John Hopkins University, linked HPV with throat cancer. According to Gillison, those with HPV infection were 32 times more likely to develop cancer. The good news is that oropharyngeal cancer is relatively uncommon, and the vast majority of people infected with HPV will remain cancer-free.
Performing oral sex increases the risk of STI infection through small scratches in the lining of the mouth. To prevent being infected, it’s preferable to refrain from brushing one’s teeth, flossing, or undergoing dental work soon before or after performing oral sex. You can refresh and disinfect your mouth by gargling antiseptic mouthwash such as Listerine before and after sex.
It is recommended to use a physical barrier to perform oral sex on a casual sex partner and/or untested mate. A dental dam can be made out of a condom or nitrile glove. However, there are risks of not covering enough skin surface and accidentally damaging or poking the condom or glove with scissors during the cutting procedure.
Some use microwaveable plastic wrap as protection. But it is unclear if this constitutes an effective barrier against STIs as the plastic has pores to release heat.
A commercial dental dam is preferable as a physical barrier because it is bigger (covers more skin area), thinner (enhances sensation), with a non-slippery side applied to the skin while the other side can be flavoured (better taste).
For many centuries, oral sex has been practiced by men and women from a wide variety of cultures and ethnicities. Attitudes toward this sexual practice differ widely at the societal and individual levels from spiritually fulfilling to taboo.
Oral sex can be a way to feel more intimate with a partner or feel more adventurous in the bedroom. However, unprotected oral intercourse with an infected individual increases the risk of contracting STIs such as HPV16 and herpes. Therefore, we need to be mindful of finding the right balance between exploring our sexuality and protecting our health.
Literary Truths
Here are other slang terms for oral sex:
- Facesitting is when the receiver (usually a woman) sits and positions her genitals on the man’s mouth.
- Muff diving (on a woman)
- Playing the skin flute (on a man)
- Rolling cigars (on a man)
- Tipping the velvet (on a woman)
- Brain salad surgery (on a man)
- Lolly-gagging (between two gay males)
- Gaining knowledge (on a man)
- Poon-job (on a woman from the word punani)
Truth in Motion
References
5 Tips to Give a Woman Great Oral Sex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxoHDhEhIJ0
Oral Sex Can Lead to Throat Cancer: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/oral-sex-can-lead-to-throat-cancer/article1075840/
Oral Sex Linked to Cancer – Swedish Study: https://www.thelocal.se/20051116/2509-2/
Oral Sex Linked to Mouth Cancer
www.medindia.net/news/view_news_main.asp?x=5822
Oral Sex – Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_sex
Picture 1
Jaiya, Oral Sex for Couples, Volume 1. Oakland: New World Sex Education, 2010.
Saini, Rajiv. “Oral sex and oral cancer: A virus link.” Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences 3.3 (2011): 467.
Saini, Rajiv. “Semen swallowing is safe: Oral sex focus.” Chronicles of Young Scientists 1.3 (2010): 30. Academic OneFile. Web. 7 July 2014.
Saini, Rajiv, Santosh Saini, and Sugandha Sharma. “Oral sex, oral health, and orogenital infections.” Journal of Global Infectious Diseases 2.1 (2010): 57.