Oral sex
Oral sex consists of all the sexual activities that involve the use of the mouth, tongue, etc., to stimulate the genitalia. It may be used as foreplay before intercourse, or as climax of a sexual act, which may also include the ingestion of semen and vaginal fluids. Ingestion of these fluids alone, without physical mouth-to-genital contact, is not considered to be oral sex.
Pleasure
Oral sex can be very pleasurable and it is often used as the principal form of sexual expression or as part of foreplay. Not only are the sexual organs sensitive and well supplied with nerve endings, the same is true of the mouth, tongue and lips, so the pleasures of oral sex are not limited to the person on the receiving end.
Utility
In heterosexual relationships, oral sex can be a method of contraception (birth control) since pregnancy is impossible unless semen enters the vagina. Many heterosexuals choose oral or anal sex as an alternative to intercourse for this reason (although anal sex does not necessarily prevent semen from entering the vagina).
A report issued in September 2005 by the National Center for Health Statistics was the basis of an article in the September 26 2005 issue of Time magazine. The report comes from the results of a computer-administered survey of over 12,000 Americans between the ages of 15 and 44, and states that over half the teenagers questioned have had oral sex. While some headlines have interpreted this as evidence that oral sex among teens is "on the rise", it should be noted that this was the first comprehensive study of its kind to examine the matter.[1]
In male homosexual relationships, oral sex is a major alternative to anal sex (though gay men may engage in only oral sex, only anal sex, both, or neither). Furthermore, as both partners are men, they know what oral sex feels like to a man, which may contribute significantly to pleasurable fellation.
Techniques
Fellatio
A common technique of fellatio is to take the glans of the erect penis in the mouth while rhythmically caressing the rest of the penis with the hands; the testes and the shaft of the penis can also be licked with the tongue. Suction is often used to increase the pressure and friction exerted on the penis. (When the testes are taken into the mouth, the act is sometimes known as "teabagging" due to its supposed similarity to the action of dipping a teabag).
Depending on the preference of the participants, this stimulation may produce an orgasm and ejaculation of semen which may or may not be swallowed, hence the phrase "spit or swallow". It should be noted that intense sexual arousal of the penis will often produce a small quantity of fluid from the urethra at the tip of the penis prior to ejaculation. This fluid is produced by the Cowper's glands and is not semen (and has been demonstrated to contain far lower quantities of sperm than true semen). Its purpose may be to cleanse the urethra and prepare it for the ejaculation of semen that may soon follow, as well as to provide lubrication for the foreskin and glans during foreplay and intercourse.
While the use of the mouth to stimulate the penis, especially the glans, is a central feature of fellatio, often the partner simultaneously stimulates the shaft of the penis with her/his hand to provide the man with the feeling of the penis being enclosed. Some authorities (such as Franklin, The Ultimate Kiss, p. 62) recommend this as the preferred and most satisfying method of providing oral sex to a man.
Some males regard the reception of oral sex as an ego boost, believing that such an act is a form of dominance over their sexual partner. Also, for some males, when their partner swallows their ejaculate, it sends a subconscious message that their partner accepts them.
The practice of passing semen from the mouth of the fellator to that of the fellatee, or to the mouth of another participant, is known as snowballing. However, if the partner is unwilling to swallow or allow the semen into their mouths (and spit it back out), a common variant consists of the fellatee ejaculating over the fellator's face/body. The slang term for this is a facial. Some couples prefer the facial as an act of sex play and not of an unwillingness to swallow. If the ejaculate is squirted on the neck/chest of the fellator, it is known as a "pearl necklace".
A technique requiring significant skill is known as deep throating, named after a 1972 pornographic movie which features it. This technique involves taking the entire erect penis in the mouth, the shaft bending slightly to allow the head of the penis to slide partially down the throat of the fellator.
The practice of using the teeth covered by the lips during a fellatio is known as t-boning. Though some males find the sensation of teeth on the penis to be arousing, if done incorrectly it can be painful or too intense.
A small percentage of men have the penis length and/or body flexibility to fellate themselves, or to autofellate.
The common term blowjob is misleading, as blowing is not normally part of fellatio. In fact, blowing air into a partner's penis is an unhealthy practice. The opposite, sucking, is much more appropriate.
Cunnilingus
Cunnilingus is the act of using the mouth and tongue to stimulate the female genitals, especially the clitoris. The term comes from an alternative Latin word for the vulva (cunnus) and from the Latin word for licking (lingere). Some 33% of women report never or seldom achieving orgasm during intercourse, and cunnilingus is a way for many women to achieve orgasm with a partner.
As in all human sexual behaviour, the variety of techniques in cunnilingus and individual responses to them are almost endless. As always, communication, experimentation and practice are the best way to learn how to please a particular partner.
The clitoris is the most sensitive part for almost all women, but may be too sensitive to stimulate directly at times, especially in earlier stages of arousal, and it's often best to begin with more gentle and less focused stimulation of the labia and the whole genital area.
Tongue tip, blade or underside can be used, as can the nose, lips and teeth (with caution). One can suck, sip, lap, nibble, etc. Movements can be slow or fast, regular or erratic, firm or soft, as the moment requires.
The tongue can be inserted into the vagina, either stiffened or moving, and someone with a long or very flexible tongue may be jokingly considered very desirable [cf Earth Girls Are Easy]. This can be combined with stimulation of the clitoris by the nose, if one's facial proportions are appropriate.
Humming while performing cunnilingus is often considered to be especially arousing, with certain pitches, rhythms or tunes thought to be particularly effective by different people.
Cunnilingus is easily accompanied by the insertion of finger[s] or a sex toy into the vagina, which allows for the simultaneous stimulation of the g-spot, which many women find produces very intense sensations. Many other activities can accompany cunnilingus to enhance overall pleasure, of course, limited only by preference, physics, anatomy and multitasking ability.
Another term for cunnilingus, emerging out of homosexual culture, is giving lip or lip service.
Variants
Irrumatio is similar to fellatio, but involves the penis actively penetrating the mouth as a passive orifice, making the involvement of the person thus penetrated a passive one, with little control over the proceedings. A slang term for this is "face fucking".
Facesitting is a form of oral sex in which the receiver sits on the giver's face and pushing into it with his or her genitals.
Oral sex can be performed by both partners at the same time in a sixty-nine position.
The receiver of oral sex may find it pleasurable if the giver hums or sings at the same time, sometimes called a hummer. This in effect makes the giver's mouth into a vibrator, though unlike mechanical vibrators the mouth has built-in lubricant (saliva). A similar effect can be created by placing a small, yet powerful vibrator under the jaw, causing the tongue to vibrate, which can be very pleasurable in small quantities, but can be numbing for one or both parties if overused.
Also, eye contact during fellatio or cunnilingus may be very stimulating and more pleasurable as it acknowledges that a real person is performing oral sex, not a machine or sex toy.
While the anus is technically not a genital or reproductive organ, anilingus—the practice of oral stimulation of the anus, also known as "rimming" or "a rim job" or "tossing someone's salad"—is often classified under the rubric of oral sex. Performing anilingus while manually stimulating the male member is also referred to as a "rusty trombone".
Taboo
Oral sex had been considered to be taboo to a greater or lesser extent in many Western countries since the beginning of the Middle Ages. In the West before that time, and within certain constraints, the act of oral sex was a more or less widely accepted activity in those cultures that practiced regular and consistent bathing. Even then, there were still notable taboos. In pre-Christian ancient Rome sexual acts were generally seen through the prism of submission and control. This is apparent in the two Latin words for the act: irrumare (to penetrate orally), and fellare (to be penetrated orally). Under this system, it was considered to be abhorrent for a male to be in any way penetrated (be controlled) by another person of lower social standing during sex.
This same logic also allowed a man to receive fellatio from a woman or another man of lower social status (such as a slave or debtor), because the man would be directing the actions of the person of lower rank. The Romans regarded oral sex as being far more shameful than, for example, anal sex --known practitioners were supposed to have foul breath and were often unwelcome as guests at a dinner table. The women of Lesbos were believed to have introduced the practice of fellatio, and it is said that they used to whiten their lips as though with semen.
So, whereas in Greece, where there was a tendency to see the person "performing" oral sex as active and the "receiving" party as passive, in Roman times fellatio and cunnilingus were perceived to be a passive and therefore shameful act for any man to perform, and oral sex between members of low social standing groups was considered superfluous and was often viewed as taboo. Therefore performing any type of oral sex was considered to be a passive (as in submissive) act while receiving oral sex was viewed as an active (as in controlling) act. [2] The practice was taboo for public health reasons, as well. In Rome, the genitals were considered to be unclean. Oral sex was thought to make the mouth dirty, and (ultimately) to present a public health risk.
A common misperception is that oral sex is still nominally illegal in some states in the U.S. However, in the U.S. Supreme Court case Lawrence v. Texas (2003) Justice Anthony Kennedy writing for the majority struck down all anti-sodomy laws in the United States, declaring that such laws violated the liberty phrase of the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Health issues
Semen contains water, small amounts of salt, protein, zinc [3] and fructose sugar. It is slightly alkaline which causes some to find the taste bitter or brackish, but neither male nor female sexual bodily fluids are in themselves harmful to a sexual partner, apart from concerns of STDs (separately discussed below).
Urban legend sometimes describes semen as nutritious and a good source of protein; however, this is at best minimally true. Semen contains only a small amount of protein and in any case is typically only available in small quantities during oral sex.
Partners should be careful not to bite or scratch the genitalia with the teeth harder than desired. It is also possible for the inside of the mouth to be bruised by the penis if oral sex is too rough, although this can be lessened if the person giving fellatio tilts their head back (as in looking up) instead of keeping the head level. People with mouth ulcers and Temporomandibular Joint Disorder may find that giving oral sex is uncomfortable.
Sexually transmitted diseases
Oral sex is widely believed to be safer than vaginal or anal sex. But chlamydia, human papillomavirus (HPV), gonorrhea, herpes, hepatitis (multiple strains), and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) — including HIV — can be transmitted through oral sex. Any kind of direct contact with body fluids of a person infected with HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) should be avoided. In 2005, a research study at the University of Malmö in Sweden suggested that performing unprotected oral sex on a person infected with HPV might increase the risk of oral cancer.
Furthermore, oral sex should be avoided when either partner has wounds or open sores on the genitals or mouth, or bleeding gums in the mouth, or has recently brushed, flossed, undergone dental work, or eaten crunchy foods such as potato chips, all of which can cause small scratches in the lining of the mouth. These wounds, even when they are microscopic, increase the chances of contracting STDs that can be transmitted orally under these conditions. Such contact can also lead to more mundane infections from common bacteria and viruses found in, around and secreted from the genital regions. Because of this, many medical professionals advise the use of condoms in the performance of fellatio (flavoured condoms are available for this purpose) and the use of plastic or latex sheets (dental dams or ordinary plastic wrap) for cunnilingus, although the latter has failed to achieve the same level of widespread use as condoms.
Terminology and slang
There are many words describing oral sex, including euphemisms and slang. Like all aspects of sexuality, there exist a very large number of variations on a theme, and no attempt will be made here to represent them all.
- The jargon word fellatio comes from the Latin term fellare which means "to lick."
- A common slang term for giving oral sex to either a man or woman is "giving head".
- "Cocksucker" is considered a severe insult by some, and in the U.S. is one of the "seven dirty words".
- The term 'blowjob' stems from the Victorian era[citation needed]. Prostitutes were often referred to as "blowsy", as 'blow' was slang for ejaculation. 'Blowjob' describes the man's experience.
References
- Kaiser R. T. "Air embolism death of a pregnant woman secondary to orogenital sex". Acad Emerg Med. 1994 Nov-Dec;1(6):555-8.
- Hill B. F, Jones J. S. "Venous air embolism following orogenital sex during pregnancy". Am J Emerg Med. 1993 Mar;11(2):155-7.
- Jacqueline Franklin, The Ultimate Kiss: Oral Lovemaking, A Sensual Guide for Couples (Los Angeles: Media Press, 2001) ISBN 0917181174