Rimming is when someone uses their mouth, tongue or lips on another person’s anus. Lots of people enjoy the feeling and do it safely! Rimming without a barrier can pass on viral or bacterial infections like STIs. You can make rimming safer by using a barrier like a dental dam and regular STI testing.
STIs are sexually transmitted infections and some of them spread through skin contact. So, if someone has sores or warts near their anus, they can give them to the person rimming them. Other infections can also spread on from rimming. Most of these are bacteria that can spread on through poo and can make someone sick. But, practising safer sex can help reduce these risks!
What STIs can I get from rimming?
Viruses and bacteria can infect someone’s anal and mouth area. Someone with an STI can pass it on through rimming whether they’re rimming someone or getting rimmed. This can especially happen if someone has sores or warts on their mouth or anus.
There are some common STIs that spread through rimming:
There is a low risk of getting or giving someone HIV with rimming. But, it’s possible if someone is exposed to bodily fluids. If someone is taking HIV medication, then the risk is much lower. There isn’t a big risk if someone gets rimmed from someone who’s HIV positive. People who have cuts or wounds in their anus or mouth are at a higher risk of getting HIV.
Not everyone with an STI has symptoms. So, if you’re sexually active, regular STI testing can help keep you and your partners safe. You can also get vaccinated against certain STIs like HPV and Hepatitis A and B.
What other infections can I get?
People can get other types of infection from rimming. Usually, these are from bacteria in someone’s gut or poo. Some of these are:
- E. coli, a type of bacteria causing diarrhea, kidney failure, anemia, or urinary tract infections
- Giardia, a parasite causing diarrhea, cramping, gas, nausea, and vomiting.
- Shigella, a type of bacteria causing diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, and the need to poo even when you’re empty
If someone isn’t feeling well or is having diarrhea and stomach pain, you can avoid rimming until the person feels better to avoid these infections. Only the person using their mouth can get these infections.
How can I make rimming safer?
There are lots of things you can do to make rimming safer! You can use a barrier called a dental dam. This is a sheet of latex that you hold between someone’s mouth and anus. You can get these at sex shops or sexual health centres. Sometimes dental dams can be hard to find, so you can make one out of a condom or latex glove. Using lube on the side of someone’s anus can help make it feel better.
Before rimming, you can make sure someone is having healthy poops. That means making sure they’re pooping regularly, their poop is firm and easy to pass. This can make sure no one has an infection that they can pass on. They can also gently clean around their anus with antibacterial soap.
Another thing that doctors recommend is to make sure no one has any cuts or sores on their anus or mouth. This can help make sure no STIs spread. Regular STI testing can also help prevent the spread of STIs.
Rimming can be a safe and fun thing to do with your partners! But, like other kinds of sexy things, you can get an STIs or other infections from it. Practising safer sex can make these risks much smaller!
