Ashley Peaches

This week is Sexual Responsibility Week. While it may be fun to talk about the myths and interesting situations that come with sexual encounters, you have to be proactive when it comes to your own sexual health.

 

Although Sexual Responsibility Week ends tomorrow, there is never a bad time to learn about what you can do to keep yourself safe from unwanted infections or pregnancies. Talking to any potential partners about what is okay for you is important BEFORE engaging in any sexual activities. Discussing boundaries beforehand can make those lines that shouldn’t be crossed easier to see.

Remember to get tested and ask your partner to get tested. Being sexually healthy is up to both partners. And making sure that protection is available can also be the responsibility of both partners.

It is up to you to guarantee that YOU are sexually responsible. Visit safersex.org to find out more about safe sex practices.

 

 

Dear Ashley

 

Two weeks ago, you addressed a question about whether or not a person can get an STI from saliva. Well, what happens if a girl is giving a guy head and she has an STI?

 

Sincerely,

Receiver

 

Dear Receiver,

 

Like I said, it is hard to pass STDs through saliva. From the data I’ve found there is actually about the same risk through fellatio as that of swapping saliva alone. Unless of course you both had open sores, in which the infections could have passed much easier.

There is almost no risk of HIV/AIDS and, according to medhelp.org, there is a small chance of Chlamydia and Gonorrhea.

My column last week talked about the risks of passing herpes, which is one of your biggest risks, along with syphilis and nongonococcal urethritis.

Nongonococcal urethritis is actually a common STI which according to WebMd is an infection of the urethra. You can get nongonococcal urethritis from a Chlamydia infection but it is also a problem within itself. It occurs often in persons who participate in oral sex due to oral bacteria persistent in the giver.

Symptoms for nongonococcal urethritis are pain and burning during urination and/or discharge from the urethra. But having symptoms is sometimes rare.

If you are really worried about having an infection, contact a medical professional. You should always wear a condom when engaging in sexual activities.

Or just keep it in your pants.