Among the more dangerous myths floating around these days is that oral sex is a disease-free alternative to intercourse. The fact is, not only can oral-genital contact lead to a sexually transmitted disease (STD), it can – depending on the disease – be harder to spot and more difficult to treat. Your dentist may recognize oral symptoms of an STD and instruct you to see a physician for diagnosis, according to a study published in the May/June 2002 issue of General Dentistry, the clinical, peer-reviewed journal of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), an organization of general dentists dedicated to continuing education.

Reviewed: January 2012