Will oral with braces cut him?

Q. My boyfriend and I want to have oral sex, but the problem is that I have braces... on the front and the back of my teeth. He insists that it’s okay and that he will be fine, but I'm worried that I will cut him. What's the best thing to do?

A. Braces don’t necessarily mean putting a hold on oral sex, but it does mean some careful thought and consideration. Metal braces can scratch delicate genital areas, tear sensitive mouth tissues, and have the potential to make tears in condoms. Such incidents increase the potential for sexually transmitted diseases STD/STIs and blood-borne pathogens, including HIV/AIDS, Chlamydia, and Hepatitis B and C. The main message is, be aware and take the necessary precautions to protect both yourself and your partner.

If this is something that both you and your partner want to go ahead with, it means tweaking your technique, being a little more careful and covering all your bases, or in this case, braces! If you think a little extra protection might be needed you can try using dental wax, dental silicone or even a silicone or plastic mouth guard. Your dentist or orthodontist can determine the mouth guard that will provide the best protection for your unique mouth work (just tell them it’s for sports if you feel a little shy to let on to the real reason). If you are using a condom for oral sex, I would recommend changing it before switching to vaginal or anal sex.

If you have lingual brackets that sit behind the teeth, appliances with sharp posts or hooks, or a palate expander (for example) it may be difficult to amply protect yourself and your partner. If this is the case you and your partner may decide to opt out of full-oral and experiment with other forms of Foreplay (see articles on Sexual Massage , Sex Toys, and His / Her erogenous zones until the braces are off.

Whether you decide to go for it, or wait it out, remember that good oral sex includes not only the mouth but also the tongue, lips and hands –so don’t be shy to get a little creative - you may very well end up enjoying better foreplay than before your braces!