Question
What protection do I need to have oral sex with an HIV-positive man?
10 October 2007. Related: All topics, HIV transmission.
I am a man and if I want to have oral sex with another man who is HIV-positive, what kind of prevention do I have to take?
Answer
Many people prefer to play totally safely and use a condom even for oral sex. Some of them do not like the taste of the latex, but flavoured condoms can help.
Although the risk of catching HIV from oral sex is generally very low, and is related to whether or not you have cuts in your mouth (which can be caused by brushing your teeth before sex), about 5% of infections are estimated to come from oral sex. The viral load of the positive partner increases this risk.