HIV isn’t in the spotlight here like it used to be compared to 4 decades ago. In the 1980s the medical community realized HIV (AIDS) was a very prominent health risk that had the possibility of becoming an epidemic along with a death sentence for many people. The specter of AIDS has gone away for the most part, but some people still need the same access to HIV treatment protocols. Knowledge is good too, and some may ask can you get HIV from oral. You can’t, although it’s wise to be smart about coming into contact with other people’s bodily fluids at any time.

So, there is no grey area here. Can you get HIV from oral saliva? No, you can’t but you should know that a person who is infected with the HIV virus will have it in their saliva. It will be in all bodily fluids when a person has it, but the only way the virus will be able to proceed into full-blown AIDS is if you’re exposed to a sufficient amount of it for starters. Oral contact like kissing will never result in the transmission of HIV from one kisser to the other. The exception to that is if the person has an open wound or sore in their mouth. If so, there is a risk of contracting HIV.

What needs to be said here in relation to can you get HIV from oral saliva is this; use judgment in advance of any scenario where you might engage in risky behaviour. When you have blood containing the virus exposed to your bloodstream, is where the greatest risk for an HIV infection occurs. This is why public health agencies are so inflexible about screening people who are donating blood. And the risk of unprotected sex causing HIV is well known too. Be exposed to semen or vaginal fluid from anyone with the virus and you are nearly guaranteed of contracting HIV. But can you get HIV from oral saliva? No.

Prominent Risk Factors

The most important takeaway is that you should be smart about your sexuality. In any instance where you might be having casual sex then using protection – including for oral sex – is a wise choice. Can you get HIV from oral saliva is a myth, but as mentioned if there is any type of would oozing even the slightest bit of blood in their mouth then the risk of HIV infection is immediately there. The chances of getting AIDS from saliva is under 0.1% if there’s nothing in the way of an open wound in the mouth.

The last thing to say around can you get HIV from oral saliva is this. Good dental hygiene also involves taking care of your gums, and this will be even more important if you have any condition that is making your gums recede. No relation to this risk of contracting HIV, but there can be a connection between gum disease and heart disease and as you’d likely guess you have much of a chance of dying of heart disease rather than AIDS if you’re a middle-aged person who’s married or in a long-term committed relationship.