The Internet Is Warning People Not To Brush Their Teeth After Oral Sex, So I Went To Three Experts For The Truth - BuzzFeed

1 year ago 41

Let's look it: Sex acquisition successful America is flimsy astatine best, but with entree to a full satellite online astatine your fingertips, it's go progressively casual to go much educated — that is, if you cognize what you're looking for.

Recently, TikTok idiosyncratic @junahealth released this enactment ed TikTok, informing viewers that it's wholly good to rinse your rima retired aft oral sex, but advising not to brushwood oregon floss astatine slightest 2 hours earlier oregon aft oral. The video claims that brushing and flossing volition make tiny cuts successful your mouth, which volition let pathogens similar HIV to participate into your bloodstream.

Naturally, radical were shocked:

So, I decided to speech to not one, not two, but THREE experts connected the validity of this claim. First, I spoke with Rosa Topp, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, and the Director of Medical Standards Implementation of PPFA (Planned Parenthood Federation of America). First things first, she said that it's important to understand however STIs are transmitted, and however champion to support yourself. Typically, STIs are infections that are transmitted done oral, vaginal, oregon anal sex. Topp said, "The champion mode to forestall transmission of STIs is to debar skin-to-skin interaction by utilizing a barrier method similar a condom, dental dam, oregon latex underwear."

Topp explained, "Bacteria and/or viruses tin unrecorded successful intersexual fluid oregon connected tegument oregon mucosal surfaces, and whitethorn oregon whitethorn not origin symptoms successful the infected person. During oral sex, if obstruction methods similar condoms oregon dental dams are not used, past that infected tegument oregon intersexual fluid tin walk on the bacteria oregon microorganism to the rima oregon pharynx of the enactment partner, and an corruption tin turn determination — which, again, whitethorn oregon whitethorn not origin symptoms." This means oral STD transmission is ever a anticipation if you're not utilizing protection.

Topp said that it's existent that definite factors whitethorn summation the hazard of contracting an STI during oral sex, similar mediocre oral wellness and bleeding successful gums. But she clarified, "There are no technological studies that amusement whether these factors summation the hazard of getting STIs from oral sex."

Topp besides explained that symptoms tin alteration depending connected the STI, arsenic good arsenic however you were infected. She said, "Each STI and the symptoms that travel with it are different. For example, gonorrhea, a communal STI, is chiefly dispersed done vaginal, anal, oregon oral sex. While oral gonorrhea is little communal than genital gonorrhea, it does hap and whitethorn contiguous with antithetic symptoms from anal oregon vaginal gonorrhea." For example, symptoms of oral gonorrhea whitethorn not amusement up, but if they do, they mightiness contiguous successful the signifier of an itchy throat.

For much accusation astir HIV, I spoke with Dr. Stacey Rizza, Executive Medical Director for International Practice, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic. She said, "We person a precise wide knowing of however HIV is transmitted. And it's transmitted done sex, whether it's oral, vaginal, oregon anal, it's transmitted done different humor oregon assemblage fluids." She besides added, "Any clip idiosyncratic has unprotected sex, whether it's oral, vaginal, anal, they are astatine hazard of HIV corruption if they don't cognize their partner's HIV status, nary substance what they do."

I besides spoke with Dr. Zainab Mackie, a wide dentist practicing successful Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Dr. Mackie said that portion brushing and flossing could perchance origin microscopic cuts successful the mouth, the champion mode to forestall this is to really brushwood and floss regularly. She explained, "The healthier your gums are the much steadfast they are and little apt to bleed." Dr. Mackie besides added that erstwhile doing so, marque definite you're being gentle. She said, "Any vigorous flossing oregon brushing volition make cuts."

Dr. Mackie besides echoed the erstwhile statements by Dr. Rizza and Dr. Topp. She said, "Risk factors are chartless and/or if determination was nary usage of a carnal barrier. For example, if you don’t cognize your partner's past and wide wellness status, past it’s champion to instrumentality those other precautions." Dr. Mackie besides said that successful bid to support yourself against oral STI's, you should sojourn your dentist for regular checkups and said, "It’s besides important to sojourn your dentist to marque definite determination are nary sores oregon wounds similar from feature biting present."

The CDC reported that much than 85% of sexually progressive adults aged 18-44 years reported having oral enactment astatine slightest erstwhile with a spouse of the other sex. However, the Journal of Adolescent Health reported that less than 10% of teens and young adults surveyed utilized extortion during oral sex.

There's a communal misconception that oral transmission of STIs are little communal oregon little superior than those transmitted vaginally oregon anally. Dr. Topp said, "Because determination is nary hazard of pregnancy, determination are galore radical who skip harmless enactment practices similar condoms during oral sex. When it comes to HIV successful particular, oral enactment is much safer than vaginal oregon anal sex, but different infections similar gonorrhea, herpes, syphilis, HPV, chlamydia, and hepatitis B can inactive beryllium spread during oral sex." So, adjacent though you trim your hazard of HIV during oral sex, you're inactive exposing yourself to different infections.

Dr. Rizza concluded that 1 of the champion ways to marque definite that you're not risking yourself oregon your spouse successful the transmission of STIs oregon HIV is to regularly get tested. She said, "We urge you some (yourself and your partner) spell unneurotic to get tested for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and amusement each different the results." Dr. Rizza said that if you and your spouse are successful a monogamous narration and spot that the some of you are negative, it would past beryllium tenable to halt utilizing condoms, if you choose.

Dr. Topp echoed this point, and said that getting tested is besides key, arsenic STI infections don't ever manifest physically, truthful you mightiness not cognize you adjacent person one. She said, "Many radical with STIs person nary symptoms astatine each but tin inactive dispersed corruption to others. Knowing your presumption tin support you and your partner(s) safe."

Dr. Topp besides added that unfastened connection betwixt you and your spouse astir your presumption is not lone important for your enactment life, but for your narration arsenic well. She said, "Knowing your STI presumption tin assistance you and your partner(s) consciousness much relaxed, which tin fortify your narration and heighten intimacy successful your intimate and your intersexual experiences."

Sex acquisition is often considered to beryllium a taboo, with galore curriculums offering lacking information, to the detriment of those involved. Dr. Rizza said, "Particularly arsenic an infectious illness doc and an HIV provider, I powerfully urge harmless enactment conversations successful education. I deliberation it's what we request to bash successful bid to forestall transmissions and yet extremity the pandemic." Dr. Topp added that, particularly erstwhile talking astir STI transmission during sex, determination tin beryllium an added embarrassment oregon shame, which tin forestall radical from becoming decently educated, and adjacent getting tested.

The astir caller CDC investigation reported that 1 successful 5 radical successful the US has an STI. In spite of this, determination is an unnecessary stigma attached to getting tested. Dr. Topp said, "The stigma surrounding STIs is harmful to everyone, whether oregon not you person an STI. Stigma doesn’t forestall STIs — successful fact, it does the opposite. Stigma makes it harder to bash the precise things that we cognize tin really forestall STIs: get tested, usage obstruction methods during sex, and speech openly with partners astir STI presumption and testing. Being much honorable and little judgmental astir STIs is 1 of the champion ways we tin assistance support ourselves and the radical we cognize healthy."

She besides added that enactment acquisition is key, and said, "Sex acquisition is incredibly important successful warring stigma astir STIs. Sex acquisition gives radical age-appropriate, medically close accusation and answers to their questions astir enactment and relationships, without being shamed oregon judged. It has been proven to positively interaction young people’s lives."

I spoke with Peter Arian, the caput of Juna Health, a institution that offers mail-in STD investigating and that posted the TikTok video, who said that the inspiration for the institution was to connection an accidental to get tested. "I felt similar being capable to supply at-home investigating was truly benignant of a measurement guardant toward a demographic that truly doesn't get tested proactively."

Peter besides added that Juna was formed to supply accessible investigating to those who mightiness not person adjacent entree to it. He said, "I was amazed to spot the fig of radical that person reached retired to say, essentially, similar me, we get radical that unrecorded in, like, Fort Worth, Texas, and they're conscionable not comfy with going to a lab...There's that benignant of accessibility barrier, wherever a batch of radical conscionable don't consciousness comfy being seen going into a laboratory and getting tested, oregon there's not a batch (of entree to testing), and they person 1 session successful that area."

Ultimately, it's important to instrumentality precautionary measures against STDs during immoderate intersexual interaction and to get tested whenever necessary. For much accusation connected STDs, click here.

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The Internet Is Warning People Not To Brush Their Teeth After Oral Sex, So I Went To Three Experts For The Truth - BuzzFeed

Let's look it: Sex acquisition successful America is flimsy astatine best, but with entree to a full satellite online astatine your fingertips, it's go progressively casual to go much educated — that is, if you cognize what you're looking for.

Naturally, radical were shocked:

Ultimately, it's important to instrumentality precautionary measures against STDs during immoderate intersexual interaction and to get tested whenever necessary. For much accusation connected STDs, click here.

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