A service provided by the BC Centre for Disease Control
In the years since SmartSexResource launched, we have developed a library of questions asked by you, and answered by our expert sexual health nurses.
Our answered questions library cover a broad range of sexual health topics and common questions we hear at our clinics.
Thanks for your question.
You are right; any kind of oil can seriously deteriorate latex or polyisoprene condoms, which will lead to condom breakage.
Water-based or silicone based lubes are the only lubes recommended for these types of condoms. Condoms made of nitrile or polyurethane will not deteriorate with oils but oils can increase the risk of bacterial and yeast growth so even with these condoms it is best to avoid them.
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Health Nurse
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I am sorry but I cannot tell you the accuracy of the Tridot test at 4 weeks as it is not a test that is used in British Columbia. It is best to ask where you test to find out the accuracy of the tests they are using.
What I can tell you is that receiving oral sex is not considered a risk for HIV, as the virus is not found in saliva. This is not how we see HIV being passed. The STIs you can get this way are Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Herpes Simplex Virus, Syphilis, and HPV. You can check out your risks related to receiving oral sex in our Know your chances | SmartSex Resource section.
You can lower your risk of infection from these STIs by using a condom when receiving oral sex.
Let us know if that helps answer your question or if you need more information,
Health Nurse
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These two activities have very low risk for HIV transmission. The risk is considered more theoretical than real, which means in the real world we do not see the virus being spread this way.
There are some STIs that can be spread when you receive oral sex. Men can be at some risk for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, HPV and, possibly Hepatitis B if they have not been vaccinated and women can be at some risk for Syphilis, Herpes, HPV and again possibly Hepatitis B if not vaccinated.
Using a condom for oral sex involving a penis or a dental dam for oral sex involving a vagina or anus can reduce the risk of these infections. Keep in mind that Syphilis, Herpes and HPV are spread through skin to skin contact, so only areas that are covered by the barrier are protected. Check out our pages on condoms and other barriers for more information on their use to reduce infections.
Mutual masturbation does have a low risk for transmission of Syphilis, Herpes and HPV. These are infections that are transmitted through skin to skin contact but are not commonly passed this way. If you are concerned about this low risk, medical gloves can be worn.
Have a look at our “Know your chances” web page, it provides information on your chances of getting or passing an STI depending on how you are having sex.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more information.
Health Nurse
For other readers, please feel free to leave a comment, or let us know if this was helpful.
Flavoured condoms are safe to use with oral sex. They are popular as some people find they taste better than regular condoms, and they come in a variety of flavours.
The safety of using flavoured condoms of penetrative sex (like vaginal/internal genital or anal/rectal sex) is not well studied.
People can be sensitive to different condom materials and lubricants. With flavoured condoms, there are extra ingredients added for the flavour; these ingredients can cause vaginal/internal genital or anal/rectal irritation. Whenever the vagina/internal genitals or anus/rectum are irritated, it is easier to get an STI.
In addition, these ingredients may also irritate the vagina/internal genitals, causing the natural vaginal/internal genital flora to be imbalanced, which can lead to yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis.
Regardless of which type of condom you use, it is important to use a new condom every time you have sex, with each new partner, and when switching from anal/rectal to oral or vaginal/internal genital sex.
If you used a flavoured condom for vaginal/internal genital or anal/rectal sex and noticed no irritation, there would be no increased risk of STIs and the condom would provide good protection.
For more information about condoms, lubricant, dental dams and other barriers, have a look at our ‘Protection’.
Hi.
Some types of birth control including pills, rings, patches, Depo-Provera, intrauterine device (IUD) or intrauterine system (Mirena) don’t protect you from getting an STI.
Condoms or other barriers give good protection for most STIs. Condoms do double duty when they are used for both birth control and STI protection.
Click here to learn more about how to use condoms.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more info.
Heatlh Nurse
Hi.
The chances of getting or giving HIV from rimming are low. Blood on or around the anus or mouth could increase the chance of passing HIV.
There are other STIs that are more easily be passed through rimming including hepatitis A, herpes, syphilis and HPV. It is possible but not common to pass gonorrhea and chlamydia.
It is also possible to pass or get intestinal parasites.
Barriers, such as dental dams can provide good protection against STI’s.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more info.
Health Nurse
Hi.
Yes, it is possible to get HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) from a sex toy if it is shared between people and a condom is not used, or if it is shared before it is properly cleaned.
For there to be a risk, the toy would need to come in contact with vaginal fluid, pre cum, semen, blood or rectal mucous.
Once outside the body HIV does not survive for long. There is a higher chance of passing HIV or other STIs when sex toys are passed directly between people.
Click here for more information on the care and cleaning of sex toys.
Please leave a comment to let us know if this answers your question or if you need more info.
Health Nurse