It is a common belief that mouthwash is a powerful remedy against viruses and bacteria and so, can help reduce the risk of certain sexually transmitted infections or STIs and HIV, following oral sex. The CDC says HIV – which can lead to deadly AIDS infections is possible if the person ejaculating has a detectable viral load - which refers to the amount of HIV present in the blood. The virus may also transmit during oral sex if the vaginal fluid of someone with HIV enters a partner’s bloodstream through cuts or sores in their mouth.
Why is mouthwash not helpful? However, according to various studies and experts, the evidence supporting the use of mouthwash to prevent STIs is weak. “Using mouthwash after oral sex does not protect you from viruses or bacteria. There is no evidence to suggest that mouthwash kills viruses or bacteria,” Dr.
Oishi Das, Medical Consultant for HIV Neurology, UK, said on an Instagram channel. “We regularly counsel people in the sexual health clinic so that they don’t have this false sense of security of having unprotected sex and then trying to clear their mouth out with mouthwashes. It just doesn’t work,” she added.
A 2021 review of studies in the journal BMJ Open could not find any evidence that regular mouthwash reduced the risk of oral STIs in 315 heterosexual men and 366 heterosexual women. Even those who used mouthwash daily had no difference in their risk compared to infrequent users. How do viruses spread through oral sex?Dr.
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