Oral sex is the stimulation of the penis, clitoris or anus with the mouth and tongue. Oral sex is often referred to as a 'blowjob' when stimulating the penis, 'muff diving' when stimulating the clitoris, or more generally, 'going down'.

Oral sex is thought to be safer than penetrative sex, but it too has its risks; Whenever unprotected oral sex happens, both partners can be at risk. STIs that can be transmitted during oral sex include chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes, syphilis, thrush, hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Many of these infections can occur in the throat.

Simple throat infections can be transmitted to your partner. If you have a sore throat, for instance, it is essential to use protection when having oral sex. There may also be a risk of HIV if infected semen gets into the throat.