Oral sex STDs

Some surveys show that oral sex is quite common nowadays. More than 50% of young people aged 15 to 24 have experience of oral sex, and this rate is still increasing. Oral sex STDs are sexually transmitted diseases caused by contact between the mouth and the vagina or anus of men and women.

Oral sex STDs | 5 Major Types

Oral STDs can be divided into 5 main categories: gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes and HPV.

1. Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea infects the throat, genitals, and anus or rectum through oral sex. The symptoms include abnormal yellow and green secretions and inflammation at the infected site.

Gonorrhea infection oral symptoms

The oral mucosa is congested and red, and there may be ulcers or superficial wounds.
Dry throat
Discomfort, burning, or pain in the throat

Gonorrhea infecting genital, anal, rectal symptoms

Yellow-green or white discharge
Tingling or burning when urinating
Irregular vaginal bleeding (women)

Oral sex gonorrhea test

If you are infected with gonorrhea in your mouth, gonorrhea DNA can be tested through oral/throat swab samples, but it cannot be detected through urine samples.

2. Chlamydia

Similar to gonorrhea infection, chlamydia can cause inflammation by infecting the throat, genitals, and anus or rectum. But most oral infections do not cause noticeable symptoms.

Chlamydia infection oral symptoms

sore throat

Chlamydia infection genital, anal, rectal symptoms

Stinging or burning sensation in the genitals/anus
unusual discharge

Oral sex chlamydia test

If you are infected with chlamydia in the mouth, Chlamydia trachomatis DNA can be tested through oral/throat swab samples, but it cannot be detected through urine samples.

3. Syphilis

Syphilis Treponema pallidum can spread through mucous membranes or skin with wounds, infecting the vagina, anus, rectum and mouth. The most obvious symptom is an open, canker sore - called a chancre - on the genitals, mouth, anus or rectum.

Syphilis infecting mouth, vagina and anus symptoms

Painless ulcer - syphilitic chancre
lymphadenopathy
oral mucosal plaques

Oral sex syphilis test

If you are infected with syphilis in the mouth, you can use oral swabs for syphilis DNA testing or blood samples for syphilis antibody testing and syphilis RPR testing. Both types of tests can detect syphilis infection, with the former requiring direct swab sampling of suspected symptoms, such as syphilis sores.

4. Herpes

Infections of the mouth, vagina, and anus can be caused by herpes simplex I or II viruses. Common symptoms are pain or itchy blisters.

Symptoms of herpes infection in the mouth, vagina and anus

painful blisters
cold sores on lips

Checking for oral sex herpes

If you are infected with oral herpes, you can do a herpes DNA test through an oral swab or a herpes antibody test through a blood sample. Both types of tests can detect syphilis infection, with the former requiring a direct swab sample from suspected symptoms, such as lip sores or oral blisters.

5. HPV

The HPV virus can be transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact, sexual intercourse (including oral sex) and direct genital contact. Most people are asymptomatically infected.

HPV infecting oral, vaginal and anal symptoms

Genital warts (cauliflower-like)
Genital warts appear in the respiratory tract: damage to the vocal cords causes hoarseness, difficulty in breathing, swallowing & speaking.
Oral mucositis
Abnormal vaginal discharge (female)
Bleeding after intercourse (women)

Oral sex HPV test

If you are infected with HPV in the mouth, HPV DNA testing can be done through oral/throat swab samples.

Other Oral sex STDs - low chance of infection

Some sexually transmitted diseases through oral sex have a low probability of occurrence, but they cannot be completely ruled out, especially if there are wounds in the mouth.

HIV
hepatitis
Non-gonococcal bacteria, eg. Ureaplasma, Mycoplasma, Candida, etc.
pubic lice