By their very nature, STDs are most commonly spread through unprotected sexual activity. However, many people are unaware that STIs can also be spread through indirect contact, including through oral sex and kissing.
Whether you’re already aware that STIs can be passed in a variety of ways or this is new information to you, it’s important to know that these infections can have serious consequences.
Kissing
Most people think that because the “S” in STD stands for sexually transmitted disease, it must only be possible to get STIs from having sex. But the truth is that there are many ways to get an STD without having sex, including kissing. In fact, kissing can be a very dangerous way to catch an STD. It’s possible to get herpes, genital warts, hepatitis C, and many other infections simply by kissing someone.
It’s also possible to spread some STDs through oral sex. This is a very risky way to pass on STIs, because the mouth comes into contact with sexual fluids, such as vaginal lubricating secretions and menstrual blood. It’s also possible to get an STD by eating contaminated food. For example, you can get the herpes virus HSV-1 by ingesting it from another person’s saliva or licking an open sore on their lips.
It’s important to know that some STIs, such as herpes and genital warts, can cause serious health problems, including infertility and certain types of cancer. This is why it’s so important to use protection during sex and see a doctor for regular STI testing. The most common way to catch a herpes outbreak is by kissing, so it’s important to be very careful when expressing your affections! Also, it’s very important to inform anyone you’ve had sex with about your herpes status so that they can get tested and treated.
Oral Sex
Oral sex is one of the most common and popular types of sex. It can offer orgasms and pleasure, but it can also be a way to spread certain STDs. It is important to communicate with your partner about whether you like or do not like oral sex and how often you engage in it. If you do engage in oral sex, use protection like a condom during fellatio and a dental dam during cunnilingus and analingus to help prevent STIs.
The most common sexually transmitted diseases that are spread via oral sex include herpes, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. HIV can also be spread through oral sex if a person is infected with it and they do not know it. Oral sex can also lead to an infection called epididymitis, which is the inflammation of the urethra’s ducts. It can cause pain and swelling in the genitals, and can cause a painful discharge.
STDs are most commonly contracted through unprotected sexual intercourse, but they can also be spread by kissing, oral sex, and sharing contaminated food. This guide to STDs has been created by our team at Rapid STD Testing in Tampa to empower people with the knowledge they need to make healthy choices and protect their health. Contact us today to learn more about our services. We offer fast and accurate testing for many infections, including HIV and hepatitis C.
Sharing Contaminated Food
While you might think that the only way to get an STD is by engaging in unprotected sexual activity, there are many ways you can get one that don’t involve any physical contact at all. For example, infection from viruses such as hepatitis A and C and syphilis can be passed via contaminated food. This can occur when someone prepares your meal and then handles it with a soiled hand after using the restroom. It can also happen when people share items that cut or pierce the skin such as razors and syringes. The virus from hepatitis A and C, hepatitis B and HIV can all be transmitted this way.
Lastly, parasitic infections such as pubic lice and trichomonias vaginalis can be spread by sharing towels or sheets that have been in contact with an infected person. These infections love damp fabrics and can survive on them for a long time.
This information is important because it can help you to avoid getting an STD by following good hygiene and using barrier methods like condoms. In addition, it’s essential to get tested regularly. Testing is simple and inexpensive and can help to catch infections in their early stages when they’re easier to treat. Everyone should do this regardless of their sexual history since there are many infections that can cause no symptoms at all or be cured with a pill.
Borrowing Unclean Towels
STIs are typically spread through vaginal, anal, or oral sex, but many of them can also be spread via intimate skin-to-skin contact, such as kissing or sharing a contaminated toothbrush. Bloodborne infections such as hepatitis B and HIV can also be transmitted by casual contact or by sharing unclean linens, including towels. The single-celled protozoan parasite that causes trichomoniasis can survive for up to an hour outside of the body on damp fabrics, which means you could get it from borrowing someone’s towel. It’s also possible to spread herpes, chlamydia, genital warts, and hepatitis through shared toothbrushes, cutlery, drinkware, and sex toys.
Getting an STI without having sex can be extremely difficult to diagnose, because symptoms are often very mild and don’t appear until the infection has fully developed. But knowing how to catch an STD without having sex is important to ensure you protect yourself from diseases and infections that can affect both your physical and mental health. So, next time you need a towel, ask your friend if they’ve been tested for STIs and don’t forget to use condoms.