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Table of Contents
Understanding Risk
Risk Factors
How to Lower Risk
It’s possible to get HIV from oral sex, but it’s not the most likely way to contract the virus.For the most part,oral sex—which includes fellatio (oral-penile), cunnilingus (oral-vaginal), or anilingus (oral-anal)—is not an efficientroute ofHIV (human immunodeficiency virus)transmissioncompared to penetrative intercourse (particularly anal sex).
This article will discuss the risk factors for getting HIV from oral sex and ways to lower your risk and protect yourself and your partners.
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Theoretical vs. Documented Risk of HIV From Oral Sex
There is an important difference in the theoretical and documented risk of getting HIV from oral sex.
In fact, according to research from the University of California at San Francisco’s Centers for AIDS Prevention Studies, the probability of HIV infection through unprotected oral sex is statistically zero. However, the researchers explained that they “cannot rule out the possibility that the probability of infection is greater than zero."
The lower risk from oral sex has to do with substances in saliva that block HIV’s ability to cause infection. Saliva kills HIV-infected white blood cells that HIV targets (CD4 T-cells). There are also specific proteins like mucin 1 (MUC1) and salivaryagglutinin(SAG) that can render the virus non-infectious.
Understanding and identifying these factors can help you make informed, safer choices about sex that will protect you and your partners.
The chance that you’ll transmit or contract HIV through oral sex depends a lot on the contact you’re having with another person. Putting aside all other risk factors, the potential for infection varies based on whether the non-infected person is giving or receiving oral sex.
The risk of HIV from oral sex is anywhere from 0%–1%, according to research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
While these figures suggest that the risk of getting HIV from oral sex acts is low from a population perspective, that does not mean it’s low from an individual perspective.
The more risk factors you have, the greater the risk of transmission will be. The risk numbers change if you factor in specific sexual behaviors:
Additional Risk Factors for HIV From Oral Sex
An infected partner’s HIV viral load is the biggest factor in determining the likelihood of infection. The higher theHIV viral load, the more likely a person is to spread the virus to others.An undetectable viral load carries an extremely low risk of spreading HIV.
Several other factors also affect risk:
How to Minimize Risk of HIV
The most important thing you can do is to avoid sexual activity when you’re in a “high risk” time, like during a herpes outbreak. At lower-risk times, the best way to minimize the risk of infection is to practicesafer sex.
If you have multiple sex partners or are unsure about the health of a sex partner, safe sex is even more important. Using condoms and dental dams when you’re engaging in cunnilingus or anilingus will protect you and your partner.
It’s also recommended that you avoid brushing or flossing your teeth right before giving oral sex because it could make your gums bleed, which makes HIV transmission more of a risk.
There are additional strategies that can further reduce risk:
Communication with your partners is also important to avoid HIV. Whether you are HIV-positive or HIV-negative, learning how to discuss safe sex and how todisclose your HIV statusis important.
Summary
The risk of getting HIV from oral sex is low, but it’s still possible. Practicing safe sex, communicating with partners, understanding your risk, and taking steps to reduce your risk are steps you can take to protect yourself and your partners from HIV.
What Is Considered an Open Wound for HIV Transmission?
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Becerra JC, Bildstein LS, Gach JS.Recent insights into the HIV/AIDS pandemic.Microb Cell. 2016;3(9):451-475. doi:10.15698/mic2016.09.529University of California, San Francisco.HIV infection from receptive oral sex is a rare event, UCSF study confirms.Wood LF, Chahroudi A, Chen HL, Jaspan HB, Sodora DL.The oral mucosa immune environment and oral transmission of HIV/SIV.Immunol Rev.2013 Jul;254(1):10.1111/jmr.12078. doi:10.1111/imr.12078Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How HIV spreads.Baggaley RF, White RG, Boily MC.Systematic review of orogenital HIV-1 transmission probabilities.Int J Epidemiol. 2008;37(6):1255-65. doi:10.1093/ije/dyn151Patel P, Borkowf CB, Brooks JT, Lasry A, Lansky A, Mermin J.Estimating per-act HIV transmission risk: a systematic review.AIDS. 2014;28(10):1509-19. doi:10.1097/QAD.0000000000000298Malamud D, Wahl SM.The mouth: a gateway or a trap for HIV?AIDS. 2010;24(1):5-16. doi:10.1097/QAD.0b013e328333525fCenters for Disease Control.HIV risk behaviors.Centers for Disease Control.Oral sex and HIV risk.Terrence Higgins Trust.Oral sex.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HIV treatment as prevention.HIV.gov.Pre-exposure prophylaxis.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Becerra JC, Bildstein LS, Gach JS.Recent insights into the HIV/AIDS pandemic.Microb Cell. 2016;3(9):451-475. doi:10.15698/mic2016.09.529University of California, San Francisco.HIV infection from receptive oral sex is a rare event, UCSF study confirms.Wood LF, Chahroudi A, Chen HL, Jaspan HB, Sodora DL.The oral mucosa immune environment and oral transmission of HIV/SIV.Immunol Rev.2013 Jul;254(1):10.1111/jmr.12078. doi:10.1111/imr.12078Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How HIV spreads.Baggaley RF, White RG, Boily MC.Systematic review of orogenital HIV-1 transmission probabilities.Int J Epidemiol. 2008;37(6):1255-65. doi:10.1093/ije/dyn151Patel P, Borkowf CB, Brooks JT, Lasry A, Lansky A, Mermin J.Estimating per-act HIV transmission risk: a systematic review.AIDS. 2014;28(10):1509-19. doi:10.1097/QAD.0000000000000298Malamud D, Wahl SM.The mouth: a gateway or a trap for HIV?AIDS. 2010;24(1):5-16. doi:10.1097/QAD.0b013e328333525fCenters for Disease Control.HIV risk behaviors.Centers for Disease Control.Oral sex and HIV risk.Terrence Higgins Trust.Oral sex.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HIV treatment as prevention.HIV.gov.Pre-exposure prophylaxis.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Becerra JC, Bildstein LS, Gach JS.Recent insights into the HIV/AIDS pandemic.Microb Cell. 2016;3(9):451-475. doi:10.15698/mic2016.09.529University of California, San Francisco.HIV infection from receptive oral sex is a rare event, UCSF study confirms.Wood LF, Chahroudi A, Chen HL, Jaspan HB, Sodora DL.The oral mucosa immune environment and oral transmission of HIV/SIV.Immunol Rev.2013 Jul;254(1):10.1111/jmr.12078. doi:10.1111/imr.12078Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How HIV spreads.Baggaley RF, White RG, Boily MC.Systematic review of orogenital HIV-1 transmission probabilities.Int J Epidemiol. 2008;37(6):1255-65. doi:10.1093/ije/dyn151Patel P, Borkowf CB, Brooks JT, Lasry A, Lansky A, Mermin J.Estimating per-act HIV transmission risk: a systematic review.AIDS. 2014;28(10):1509-19. doi:10.1097/QAD.0000000000000298Malamud D, Wahl SM.The mouth: a gateway or a trap for HIV?AIDS. 2010;24(1):5-16. doi:10.1097/QAD.0b013e328333525fCenters for Disease Control.HIV risk behaviors.Centers for Disease Control.Oral sex and HIV risk.Terrence Higgins Trust.Oral sex.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HIV treatment as prevention.HIV.gov.Pre-exposure prophylaxis.
Becerra JC, Bildstein LS, Gach JS.Recent insights into the HIV/AIDS pandemic.Microb Cell. 2016;3(9):451-475. doi:10.15698/mic2016.09.529
University of California, San Francisco.HIV infection from receptive oral sex is a rare event, UCSF study confirms.
Wood LF, Chahroudi A, Chen HL, Jaspan HB, Sodora DL.The oral mucosa immune environment and oral transmission of HIV/SIV.Immunol Rev.2013 Jul;254(1):10.1111/jmr.12078. doi:10.1111/imr.12078
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How HIV spreads.
Baggaley RF, White RG, Boily MC.Systematic review of orogenital HIV-1 transmission probabilities.Int J Epidemiol. 2008;37(6):1255-65. doi:10.1093/ije/dyn151
Patel P, Borkowf CB, Brooks JT, Lasry A, Lansky A, Mermin J.Estimating per-act HIV transmission risk: a systematic review.AIDS. 2014;28(10):1509-19. doi:10.1097/QAD.0000000000000298
Malamud D, Wahl SM.The mouth: a gateway or a trap for HIV?AIDS. 2010;24(1):5-16. doi:10.1097/QAD.0b013e328333525f
Centers for Disease Control.HIV risk behaviors.
Centers for Disease Control.Oral sex and HIV risk.
Terrence Higgins Trust.Oral sex.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HIV treatment as prevention.
HIV.gov.Pre-exposure prophylaxis.
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