The Little Black Book For Guys: Guys Talk About Sex

Going Down? All About Oral Sex

Blow job. Eating out. Giving head. Whatever you call it, oral sex is any sexual activity involving the mouth and the genitals. If you want to get all technical, cunnilingus is oral sex performed on a lady, and fellatio is oral sex performed on a dude. 

Now, a lot of folks, both guys and girls, think that oral sex is a safe way to have sex and avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Well, I got news for y’all: oral sex is a sexual activity with risks!!! Okay, yeah, you can’t get pregnant from giving or receiving oral sex, BUT there are many STIs that can be passed on through oral sex. Did you get that?

YOU CAN GET AN STI FROM ORAL SEX!

Now that we’re clear, I’m gonna tell you that there are ways to protect yourself from STIs if you are having oral sex. Gentlemen, prepare to get your latex on.

BLOW JOB SECURITY

Okay, if you are going to be giving or receiving a blow job, always use a condom. It’s like this: STIs that can grow on your penis can also grow in your mouth and throat. Nasty. What that means is you are just as at risk of catching an STI receiving blow job as giving one! So use a condom. Yeah, I know—many people don’t like the taste of latex. Well check this out: you can get flavored condoms. No joke.

Condoms come in a crazy variety of flavors like strawberry, grape, lemon, and chocolate. Who doesn’t like chocolate? 

Okay, okay, I can hear some of y’all saying, “I don’t like using a condom ’cause it dulls the feeling in my dick.” There are thinner condoms available, but do your homework to find out whether or not it’s a decent brand and whether it’s right for you. Thinner condoms may be more likely to wear or break. 

Otherwise, consider this: some guys actually don’t mind if they feel a little bit less ’cause it makes ’em last a whole lot longer.

Important safety tip: never use a condom with nonoxynol-9. (The name will be on the package.) That stuff is a spermicide that can cause numbing, burning, and irritation of the mouth.

Not fun. Oh, and if you or your bj buddy are allergic to latex, buy yourselves some condoms made from polyurethane. Check your local drugstore.

EATING OUT IN SAFETY

Now, if you are going to be going down on a girl, you should always use a barrier between your mouth and her vagina. I’m not talking about no Great Wall of China or anything, but you need something to block that two-way street of sexually transmitted infection. Yup, STIs can be passed between the vagina and the mouth just like they can between a dick and mouth. So what do you use?

Your best bet is something called a dental dam. I hear ya saying, “Damn! What the hell is that?” A dental dam is a thin sheet of latex that you hold against your lady’s vaginal area while you do your licking. They’re called dental dams ’cause dentists use them when working in people’s mouths. So you know they’re safe—but trust me, they feel a lot better for sex than during a visit to Dr. Drill.

Problem is, dental dams can be difficult to find. But guess what? You can make your own. Arts and crafts time! Take a new non-lubricated condom, cut off the bottom and the tip, slice it open, and then spread it out so you’ve got a rectangle of latex.

Boom! Instant dental dam. You can also cut up a clean latex glove—just be sure you have a piece big enough.

Again, if you don’t like the taste of latex, you can get flavored dental dams or you can make one out of a flavored condom. Again, never go licking any product that contains nonoxynol-9 (check that package, man!). And, again, if you or your partner is allergic to latex, use polyurethane.

So what have we learned? 

Dude, you gotta suit up before going down. Every time.