Hi! I always get vaginal thrush after oral sex. Do you have anything to prevent it? Thanks!

Hello there,

This is an interesting question. We think many folks will be surprised to hear that; yes, oral sex can bring on a bout of thrush. Thrush is a yeast infection caused by a tiny micro-organism and can be passed from one person to another.

Thrush likes warm, moist places and therefore grows quite happily in the vagina, under the foreskin of an uncircumcised penis, and also in the mouth and throat.

If thrush has been passed on during oral sex, it may indicate that the giver has oral thrush. This can be a sign of an underlying medical condition. We recommend that both partners get tested and treated to avoid reinfecting each other. Always make sure any vaginal yeast infections are treated early.

Also, it’s crucial to practice good oral hygiene to prevent further infections. It could be that saliva upsets the balance of the vagina, which leads to issues.

Flavoured lube can cause thrush

Flavoured lubes are great fun for oral sex, but they often contain glycerine to help create a sweet-tasting fluid that isn’t great for vaginal PH. If you usually use a lube that contains glycerine, switching to a glycerine-free lubricant is advisable.

A personal tip from a member of our team is to rinse the outside of the vagina with salty water if you begin to feel a little itchy. Lukewarm water with a pinch or two of table salt in it often does the trick.

We recommend using condoms when performing oral sex to prevent thrush.

Use the condom in the regular way on a penis-owning partner or cut it open to use as a barrier when performing oral sex on a vulva-owning partner.

A cut-open condom is also ace for rimming (oral sex on an anus).And, while we're talking of rimming. Licking from the anus to the vagina can bring unwanted bacteria to the delicate vaginal tissue, which can also cause an infection.

We hope this helps!

Best Wishes,

Team Sh! xx