Can I get an STD from kissing?

This is possible but not very common. If your partner's mouth is infected with an STD, then he or she may be able to pass that infection to your mouth during a kiss. Fever blisters and cold sores can be passed through a kiss if your partner is infected, and blood-borne infections like HIV or Hepatitis B or C can only be passed through kissing if there is the exchange of infected blood. If your partner has an infection in his or her genital area, then kissing on the mouth will not transmit the infection.

I'm a teenager, I'm not at risk for an STD, right?

Wrong. One out of every four teenagers will get an STD, even though lots of teenagers think they know how to protect themselves. There are other STDs out there besides HIV, such as, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes and human papillomavirus (HPV) that are on the rise among teens.

I want to get a tongue ring? Does it make it easier to catch an STD?

Tongue piercings put people at risk for serious, potentially fatal infections. Many people know that oral piercings can cause chipped teeth, recessed gums and nerve damage, but tongue piercings can cause greater risks because they are open wounds, and because the wound is open there is potential for the transimission of many S.T.D.’s including H.I.V. Tongue piercing can also lead to several other non sexually transmitted infections such as Ludwig’s Angina, and endocarditis.

When a tongue is pierced, the piercing hole allows bacteria to travel through the bloodstream, which can lead to Ludwig's angina, an infection of the floor of the mouth that causes swelling and can close off the airway.

People with a history of heart defects also are at risk for endocarditis, which occurs when bacteria infect the heart through the bloodstream. Because most body piercers are not medical professionals, people do not usually receive antibiotics or care needed to keep infections from becoming fatal, and people may not know when swelling is abnormal.

If I take birth control pills, do we still need to use condoms?

Yes! Birth control pills are prescribed only to prevent pregnancy. They do not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Will being drunk effect sex any way?

Alcohol may make some people feel less inhibited about having sex. However, even in moderate amounts, alcohol can actually create problems with arousal and orgasm in both guys and girls. In guys it can also weaken erections.

Alcohol also clouds people's judgment, which may make them more likely to be irresponsible and participate in riskier behaviors. Mixing sex with alcohol or other drugs increases the chances of unintended pregnancy and exposure to sexually transmitted infections. This is because if you have sex when you are drunk or high, you are much less likely to be thinking clearly enough to use condoms, or use them correctly.