If you’re wondering if you can get gonorrhea from oral sex, join the club. Although oral sex is one of the safer sexual activities, it can still put you at risk. Below, we’ll go over the facts.
Gonorrhea is a common bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can live in the moist, warm tissues of the urethra, cervix, anus, rectum, mouth, throat, and eyes. Left untreated, it can cause infertility, joint pain, rashes, and skin sores. Having gonorrhea can also increase your risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.
Since gonorrhea can infect the mouth and throat, it’s possible to get it through many kinds of sexual contact, including unprotected oral sex. It’s no surprise that gonorrhea is the second most common bacterial STI.
Gonorrhea can grow in a person’s throat, and giving or receiving oral sex can spread the disease. You’re more likely to get gonorrhea if there’s a direct transfer of infected seminal fluid from throat to genitals or vice versa; contracting gonorrhea from shallow kissing on the genitals is much less common.
Can you get gonorrhea from kissing? It’s possible, but the risk is low. Studies show that gonorrhea is detectable in the saliva of infected people, meaning that it might be transmissible during tongue kissing (French kissing). More studies are needed to accurately assess the risk. Generally speaking, if you ask, “Can you get gonorrhea kissing?” public health authorities will say it’s unlikely. Medical professionals don’t classify gonorrhea as a kissing disease; they consider it to be an STI.
So, can you catch gonorrhea from saliva? The answer is maybe; saliva will only transmit gonorrhea if the bacteria are present in the fluid. Gonorrhea can be transmitted to saliva through oral-to-genital contact, and saliva can be a transmission vector during anal sex.
Oral gonorrhea doesn’t always cause symptoms, so it can go undetected fairly easily. However, people who have oral gonorrhea may experience:
The symptoms of oral gonorrhea can seem similar to signs of strep throat and flu, so testing is key to a proper diagnosis. If oral gonorrhea spreads to other areas of the body, it can cause symptoms like:
If you’re sexually active and you experience a sore throat, fever, genital discharge, or other symptoms, you should see a healthcare professional for a swab test for gonorrhea.
Reducing your risk of getting gonorrhea from oral sex doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some tips for staying safe:
Protecting yourself from oral gonorrhea involves practicing safe sex consistently and correctly. Additionally, getting certain kinds of the meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine for meningitis could reduce your risk of getting gonorrhea up to 40%. You’ll also want to keep up with STI testing and treat the disease quickly if you have it to prevent it from spreading to your partner(s).
Testing is key to treating gonorrhea. You can visit your healthcare provider or use high-quality at-home tests for routine screening without a prescription. If you have symptoms or at-home test results that could indicate gonorrhea, see a healthcare professional for additional tests to confirm the result, and if necessary, begin treatment to cure the disease.
Dealing with oral gonorrhea doesn’t have to be a high-drama affair; you can get fast, confidential testing and treat the disease successfully by visiting a doctor’s office, urgent care center, sexual health clinic, or your local health department. You can also find resources to support your sexual health online.
Contact MISTR to learn more about at-home STI testing, PrEP, and how DoxyPEP can help reduce your risk of certain bacterial infections as part of your PrEP journey.
If you think you’ve been exposed to gonorrhea, you may be able to prevent infection by taking DoxyPEP right away. If you’ve already contracted gonorrhea, treatment usually involves getting one shot of the antibiotic ceftriaxone and taking an oral antibiotic like doxycycline or azithromycin. Your partner or partners will also need treatment.
Please note: MISTR currently provides DoxyPEP only as a precursor to PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV) and does not offer treatment for confirmed gonorrhea infections.
Looking after your health is an important part of caring for yourself and your community. Whether you’re in a relationship or exploring your sexuality, you deserve to get support that will enhance your life. Learning the facts about gonorrhea and simple steps to protect yourself can help you live fearlessly.
If you have questions about preventing oral gonorrhea, the friendly experts at MISTR are here to help. You can get the hassle-free support you need anytime with no judgment, so you can live your best life.
