Let’s Talk About Rimming

There is no evidence to suggest that anyone has caught HIV from rimming, although there are other STIs to consider when rimming.

Hepatitis A & B is most often caught from rimming and gonorrhoea can also be passed on this way. There are also a number of gut infections you can get from rimming, most notably Shigella.

Even if your partner recently washed there may still be some extremely infectious, microscopic organisms present, but there is an even greater chance if you rim someone who hasn’t washed beforehand, or who is experiencing diarrhoea.

The STIs associated with rimming can be prevented by using a dental dam, although not many guys use them. You can get dental dams and a vaccination against hepatitis A and B from your STI/GUM clinic.

Tests: what you need to know