Sexually transmitted diseases and oral sex - House Call: expert advice on health and fitness - Brief Article

Q I have a 17-year-old daughter who tells me that some of her friends other teenagers routinely participate in oral sex because they don't view it as sex, and they don't believe there are any diseases associated with such an activity. What is the real story about oral sex and sexually transmitted diseases?

J.D., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

A Your daughter is describing what has become a fairly common but troubling situation among some teenagers who view oral sex as "no more than a goodnight peck on the cheek."

Many teenagers who engage in oral sex believe there are a number of benefits associated with it, including no concern about pregnancy, plus the belief that it keeps virginity intact. But perhaps the overriding belief is that in oral sex there is no risk of AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Doctors say not only are they wrong, but they could be dead wrong. Oral sex can transmit a variety of STDs, including gonorrhea, herpes, genital warts, chlamydia and even HIV, the virus that causes AIDS (although it's more common to contract HIV through intercourse). In many cases, doctors say, some persons may not suspect they have contracted something orally because early symptoms may be nothing more than a simple sore throat.

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