Oral sex

Oral sex is the term used for all sexual activities involving the use of the mouth, tongue, etc., to stimulate the sex organs. Done on the genitals of a man (especially the penis), it is technically called fellatio. (The street term for an act of fellatio is blow job, or BJ for short.) Done on the genitals of a woman (the vulva and especially the clitoris), it is technically called cunnilingus (or, on the street, eating her out). Most people usually use euphemisms or slang terms when talking about oral sex.

Oral sex has been taboo to a greater or lesser extent in many Western countries since the Middle Ages. Some activities are actually illegal in some jurisdictions.

Oral sex is considered a superb method of contraception (birth control), since pregnancy is impossible unless semen (a fluid containing sperm) comes into contact with the vagina or vulva. Many heterosexual people often use oral sex for this reason.

Many people find oral sex very pleasurable. In particular, receiving oral sex is for many women one of the better ways or reaching orgasm. Thus oral sex is used for pleasure even when avoiding pregnancy is not a concern.

Oral sex can be enjoyed in a wide variety of positions. Normally one partner performs while the other receives, but it can be performed by both partners at the same time in a "sixty-nine" position, named after the appearance of the Arabic numeral 69.

Oral sex is, in and of itself, safe and healthy. Male semen contains water and small amounts of salt, protein, and fructose sugar, and is in itself harmless in the mouth or when swallowed. The female sexual fluids are likewise harmless. Partners should be careful not to bite or scratch with the teeth harder than desired. It is possible for the inside of the mouth to be bruised by the penis if oral sex is too rough. Air should never be blown into the vagina because it is possible for an air bubble to enter the circulatory system in this way and cause embolism and death.

It is possible to catch a sexually transmitted disease, most notably AIDS, from oral sex. Any kind of sexual or other contact with the sexual fluids of a person infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, should be avoided.