Oral sex, sometimes referred to asoral intercourse, issexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a person by another person using the mouth (including the lips, tongue, or teeth).Cunnilingus is oral sex performed on thevulva whilefellatio is oral sex performed on thepenis.[1][2]Anilingus, another form of oral sex, is oral stimulation of theanus.[1]
Oral sex is often regarded astaboo,[1] but most countries do not have laws which ban the practice. Commonly, people do not think of oral sex as affecting thevirginity of either partner, though opinions on the matter vary.[7][8][9][10] People may also have negative feelings orsexual inhibitions about giving or receiving oral sex, or may flatly refuse to engage in the practice.[1]
Oral sex issexual stimulation of another person's genitals by using the mouth, and may take various forms. Duringfacesitting, the receiver sits on the giver's face and pushes into it with their genitals. Oral sex can also be performed by both partners at the same time in the so-called"sixty-nine" position.Irrumatio is a forced form of fellatio where one actively forces their penis into the partner's mouth. In regards tomasturbation, there isautofellatio, a possible but rare variant, andautocunnilingus, which may be possible for women with extremely flexible spines.[11]
An act ofgroup sex restricted to one woman giving oral sex to several men is referred to as agangsuck,blowbang orlineup, all derivatives of the slang termgang bang for group sex.Bukkake andgokkun may also involve oral sex.
Preserving virginity
A 17th century sculpture depicting a woman performing oral sex on two men. From the wall of the Uma Maheshwor Temple atKirtipur.
Gay men who regard oral sex as a way of maintaining their virginities view penile-anal penetration as resulting in virginity loss, while other gay males may define oral sex as their main form of sexual activity.[7][15] By contrast,lesbian pairings commonly view oral sex orfingering as resulting in virginity loss, though definitions of virginity loss vary among lesbians as well.[7][10][16]
Oral sex between men, 18th century
Contraception and safe sex
Oral sex alone does not result in pregnancy and heterosexual couples may engage in oral sex forcontraception reasons.[2][17][18] For conception to take place,sperm from thepenis must enter theuterus andfallopian tubes and fertilize the female'segg. In humans, there is no connection between thegastrointestinal system and thereproductive system, and sperm ingested by the woman would be killed and broken down byacids in herstomach andproteins in thesmall intestine. The breakdown products are then absorbed as a negligible quantity ofnutrients. However, there is a potential risk of pregnancy ifsemen comes in contact with thevaginal area in some way, such as semen in theejaculate finding its way onto fingers, hands, or other body parts, which then comes in contact with the vaginal area.[citation needed]
Oral sex is not necessarily an effective method of preventingsexually transmitted infections (STIs), although some forms of STIs are believed to be less commonly spread in this way, and oral sex has been recommended as a form ofsafe sex.[19][20][21] In theUnited States, no barrier methods for use during oral sex have been evaluated as effective by the Food and Drug Administration.[22] However, a barrier protection like acondom forfellatio ordental dam forcunnilingus can offer some protection from contact when practicing oral sex.[14]
Oral sex should be limited to the protected areas. A makeshift dental dam can be made out of a condom[23] or a latex ornitrile glove,[24] but using a real dental dam is seen as preferable; this is because real dental dams cover a larger area, avoid accidents caused by "slipping" outside the covered area, and avoid the risk that makeshift versions may be accidentally damaged or poked with the scissors during the cutting procedure. Plastic wrap may also be used as a barrier during oral sex, but there exists no conclusive scientific research regarding how effective it may or may not be at preventing disease transmission. Certainkinds of plastic wrap are manufactured to be microwaveable and are designed to have pores that open when heated, but there also exists no scientific research on what effect, if any, this has on disease transmission when used during oral sex.[25] Some people complain that the thickness of the plastic dulls sensation.
Prevalence
A report issued by theNational Center for Health Statistics in 2005 was the basis of an article in the 26 September 2005 issue ofTime magazine. The report comes from the results of a computer-administered survey of over 12,000 Americans between the ages of 15 and 44, and states that over half the teenagers questioned have had oral sex. While some headlines have interpreted this as evidence that oral sex among teenagers is "on the rise", this was the first comprehensive study of its kind to examine the matter.[26] TheCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated in 2009: "Studies indicate that oral sex is commonly practiced by sexually active male-female and same-gender couples of various ages, including adolescents."[14] Research also indicates that "males are more likely than females to have received oral sex, whereas equal proportions of men and women have given oral sex."[1]
In a Canadian study, 89% of heterosexual andbisexual men had practiced cunnilingus; 94% of them enjoyed it. Of the latter, 76% practiced it often or very often. Reasons for not practicing cunnilingus included lack of opportunity (73%) and disgust (13%). This suggests that much more than 89% of men would practice cunnilingus if they had a chance.[27]
Health risks and other studies
Sexually transmitted infections
Some sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such asChlamydia andhuman papillomavirus (HPV), can be transmitted through oral sex.[4][5][28][29] Any sexual exchange of bodily fluids with a person infected withHIV, the virus that causesAIDS, poses a risk of infection. Risk of STI infection, however, is generally considered significantly lower for oral sex than for vaginal or anal sex, with HIV transmission considered the lowest risk with regard to oral sex.[5][6][30][31]
There is an increased risk of STI transmission if the receiving partner has wounds on their genitals, or if the giving partner has wounds or open sores on or in their mouth, orbleeding gums.[5][6][14] Brushing the teeth, flossing, undergoing dental work soon before or after performing oral sex can also increase the risk of transmission, because all of these activities can cause small scratches in the lining of the mouth.[5][6] These wounds, even when they aremicroscopic, increase the chances of contracting STIs that can be transmitted orally under these conditions.[5][6] Such contact can also lead to more mundane infections from commonbacteria andviruses found in, around and secreted from the genital regions. Because of the aforementioned factors, medical sources advise the use ofcondoms orother effective barrier methods when performing or receiving oral sex with a partner whose STI status is unknown.[4][5][6][28]
HPV and oral cancer link
Links have been reported between oral sex andoral cancer with human papillomavirus (HPV)-infected people. In 2005, a research study atMalmö University's Faculty of Odontology suggested that performing unprotected oral sex on a person infected with HPV might increase the risk of oral cancer. The study found that 36 percent of thecancer patients had HPV compared to only 1 percent of the healthy control group.
Another study inThe New England Journal of Medicine suggests acorrelation between oral sex andthroat cancer. It is believed that this is due to the transmission of HPV, a virus that has been implicated in the majority of cervical cancers and which has been detected in throat cancer tissue in numerous studies. The study concludes that people who had one to five oral sex partners in their lifetime had approximately a doubled risk of throat cancer compared with those who never engaged in this activity and those with more than five oral sex partners had a 250 percent increased risk.[32][33]
Miscarriage reduction
Fellatio may reduce the risk ofmiscarriages by inducingimmunological tolerance in the woman by exposure to the proteins in her partner's semen, a process known aspaternal tolerance. While any exposure to a partner's semen appears to decrease a woman's chances for the various immunological disorders that can occur during pregnancy, immunological tolerance could be most quickly established through the oral introduction and gastrointestinal absorption of semen.[34][35][36] Recognizing that some of the studies potentially included the presence of confounding factors, such as the possibility that women who regularly perform fellatio and swallow semen also engage in more frequent intercourse, the researchers also noted that, either way, "the data still overwhelmingly supports the main theory" behind all their studies—that repeated exposure to semen establishes the maternal immunological tolerance necessary for a safe and successful pregnancy.[36][37]
Cultural views on oral sex range from aversion to high regard.[1] It, especially fellatio,[38] has been deemedtaboo, or at least discouraged, in many cultures and parts of the world.[1] Laws of some jurisdictions consider oral sex to bepenetrative sex for the purposes ofsexual offenses with regard to the act, but most countries do not have laws which ban the practice itself, in contrast to anal sex orextramarital sex.
Inancient Rome, fellatio was considered profoundly taboo.[39] Sexual acts were generally seen through the prism of submission and control. This is apparent in the twoLatin words for the act:irrumare (to penetrate orally), andfellare (to be penetrated orally). Under this system, it was considered to be abhorrent for a male to perform fellatio, since that would mean that he was penetrated (controlled), whereas receiving fellatio from a woman or another man of lower social status (such as a slave or debtor) was not humiliating. The Romans thought of oral sex as being far more shameful than, for example, anal sex – known practitioners were supposed to havefoul breath and were often unwelcome as guests at a dinner table.[39] This was highlighted in Roman attitudes towardsirrumatio, in which it was strictly considered a form of oral rape, and any man who irrumated another person was considered to be extremelyvirile.[40] Irrumatio was so degrading in Roman society in fact that it was often used as a method ofpunishment.[40]
In contrast to historical views on fellatio, cunnilingus is revered as a spiritually fulfilling practice in ChineseTaoism, which regards it as having the ability to enhancelongevity.[41] In modernWestern culture, oral sex is widely practiced among adolescents[26] and adults.[1]
People give various reasons for their dislike of oral sex.[1] Some state that since it does not result in reproduction, it is therefore unnatural.[42] Others find it less intimate because it is not a face-to-face practice,[1] or believe that it is a humiliating or unclean practice;[1][43] that it is humiliating or unclean are opinions that are, at least in some cases, connected with the symbolism attached to different parts of the body.[43] Opposite these views, people also believe that oral sex "is one of the most intimate behaviors that a couple can engage in because it requires total trust and vulnerability."[1]
While commonly believed thatlesbian sexual practices involve cunnilingus for allwomen who have sex with women (WSW), some have an aversion to cunnilingus due to not liking the experience or psychological or social factors, such as finding it unclean.[44][45][46][47] Other WSW believe that it is a necessity or largely defines lesbian sexual activity.[46][47] Lesbian couples are more likely to consider a woman's dislike of cunnilingus as a problem than heterosexual couples are, and it is common for them to seek therapy to overcomeinhibitions regarding it.[46]
Terminology and slang
There are many words which refer to oral sex, includingeuphemisms andsexual slang. Like all aspects of sexuality, there exists a large number of variations on a theme, a few common ones being:
Giving head – A common American slang term for giving oral sex to either a man or woman isgiving head, from the termhead job (in contrast tohand job, manual stimulation). A play on the slang termhead resulted in the slang termbrain,dome orgetting dome.
Plate – A once commonBritishrhyming slang forfellate that arose in the gay slang language ofPolari that spread in the 1960s. The term is less common today.[48]
Cunnilingus is also sometimes referred to asmuff diving,eating out orpoon-job, a slang term and a cunnilingus variant ofblow job, wherepoon is short forpoontang orpunani.
Additionally, in lesbian culture, several common slang terms used arecarpet munching,giving lip,lip service ortipping the velvet (a pseudo-Victorian expression invented by novelistSarah Waters).
Other slang terms for oral sex includegoing down on (male or female),licking out andmuff diving (female),blow job (male),dome (male or female),sucking off (male),playing the skin flute (male recipient),rolling cigars (male recipient),lolly-gagging (gay male-on-male),gaining knowledge (male recipient) andbust down (male). Forced fellatio is often calledEgyptian rape or simplyEgyptian; this goes back to the time of theCrusades whenMamluks were alleged to force their Christian captives to do this.[49]
Female bats performfellatio to increase copulation time
Oral sexhas been observed in the animal kingdom among many species.[50][51] It has been suggested that there is an evolutionary advantage due to the tendency of primates, non-primates and humans to have oral sex.[52]Fellatio occurs with thefruit bat (Cynopterus sphinx); it has been observed when the bats aremating. These bat pairs spend more time copulating if the female licks the male than if she does not.[51][53]
Unlike many other animals, fish from the genusCorydoras reproduce orally. The male faces perpendicularly to the female so that she may be able to attach to his reproductive apparatus. He then releases sperm into the mouth of the female, crossing her digestive system and fertilising her eggs.[54]
^abcdSeehereArchived December 1, 2016, at theWayback Machine andpages 47-49Archived December 1, 2016, at theWayback Machine for views on what constitutes virginity loss and therefore sexual intercourse or other sexual activity; source discusses how gay and lesbian individuals define virginity loss, and how the majority of researchers and heterosexuals define virginity loss/"technical virginity" by whether or not a person has engaged in penile-vaginal sex.Carpenter, Laura M. (2005).Virginity Lost: An Intimate Portrait of First Sexual Experiences. New York City:NYU Press.ISBN978-0-8147-1652-6.Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. RetrievedOctober 9, 2011.
^abBryan Strong; Christine DeVault; Theodore F. Cohen (2010).The Marriage and Family Experience: Intimate Relationship in a Changing Society.Cengage Learning. p. 186.ISBN978-0-534-62425-5. RetrievedOctober 8, 2011.Most people agree that we maintain virginity as long as we refrain from sexual (vaginal) intercourse. But occasionally we hear people speak of 'technical virginity' [...] Data indicate that 'a very significant proportion of teens ha[ve] had experience with oral sex, even if they haven't had sexual intercourse, and may think of themselves as virgins' [...] Other research, especially research looking into virginity loss, reports that 35% of virgins, defined as people who have never engaged in vaginal intercourse, have nonetheless engaged in one or more other forms of heterosexual sexual activity (e.g., oral sex, anal sex, or mutual masturbation).
^Ken Plummer (2002).Modern Homosexualities: Fragments of Lesbian and Gay Experiences.Routledge. pp. 1920–1921.ISBN978-1-134-92242-0.Archived from the original on January 12, 2016. RetrievedAugust 24, 2013.The social construction of 'sex' as vaginal intercourse affects how other forms of sexual activity are evaluated as sexually satisfying or arousing; in some cases whether an activity is seen as a sexual act at all. For example, unless a woman has been penetrated by a man's penis she is still technically a virgin even if she has had lots of sexual experience.
^Crooks, Robert; Baur, Karla (2010).Our Sexuality. Boston, Massachusetts:Cengage Learning. pp. 286–289.ISBN978-0-495-81294-4.Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. RetrievedAugust 30, 2012.Noncoital forms of sexual intimacy, which have been called outercourse, can be a viable form of birth control. Outercourse includes all avenues of sexual intimacy other than penile–vaginal intercourse, including kissing, touching, mutual masturbation, and oral and anal sex.
^Meuleman, T.; Baden, N.; Haasnoot, G.W.; Wagner; Dekkers, O.M.; le Cessie, S.; Picavet, C.; van Lith, J.M.M.; Claas, F.H.J. (March 2019). "Oral sex is associated with reduced incidence of recurrent miscarriage".Journal of Reproductive Immunology.133:1–6.doi:10.1016/j.jri.2019.03.005.PMID30980918.S2CID109419024.
^Robertson SA, Bromfield JJ, Tremellen KP (August 2003). "Seminal 'priming' for protection from pre-eclampsia-a unifying hypothesis".Journal of Reproductive Immunology.59 (2):253–265.doi:10.1016/S0165-0378(03)00052-4.PMID12896827.
^Octavio Paz (1969)Conjunctions and Disjunctions; trans. Helen R. Lane. London: Wildwood House; p. 97
^Buschmiller, Rev. Robert."Oral Sex in Marriage". Presentation Ministries. Archived fromthe original on February 6, 2017. RetrievedNovember 22, 2018.
^abPina-Cabral, Joao de (1992). "Tamed Violence: Genital Symbolism is Portuguese popular culture".Man. N.S.28 (1):101–120.doi:10.2307/2804438.JSTOR2804438.
^Mazzoldi, C.; Lorenzi, V.; Rasotto, M. B. (2007). "Variation of male reproductive apparatus in relation to fertilization modalities in the catfish families Auchenipteridae and Callichthyidae (Teleostei: Siluriformes)".Journal of Fish Biology.70 (1):243–256.Bibcode:2007JFBio..70..243M.doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2006.01300.x.
Bibliography
Adams, James N.,The Latin Sexual Vocabulary (Johns Hopkins, 1990)ISBN0-8018-2968-2
Franklin, Jacqueline,The Ultimate Kiss: Oral Lovemaking, A Sensual Guide for Couples (Los Angeles: Media Press, 2001)ISBN0-917181-17-4
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