9 Tips for Better Sex(ual) Health

September is World Sexual Health Month. Throughout the month, Pride.com will remind readers not only about the importance of safer sex, but also the practice of better sex, because healthy sex should never be boring.   

This World Sexual Health Month, let’s get educated. For more information, visit HealthySexuals.com.

Here are a few tips to help us get started:

1. Get tested!

Getting tested for HIV and other STIs is crucial in taking responsibility for our sexual health. Visit AIDSvu.org/Services to find the nearest clinics that provide resources and STI screenings, with or without health insurance. For those who are sexually active, it’s recommended to get tested every three to five months.

2. Be upfront with your sex partner.

Having an open dialogue with long-term sex partners about your past and present sexual experiences is crucial in holding each other accountable to better health. Whether you’re in a monogamous or open relationship, telling the truth goes a long way. It inspires more honesty from both parties, and jumpstarts conversations toward healthier habits moving forward.

3. BYOC: Bring your own condom

Never depend on your sexual partner to provide a condom. You can either purchase condoms yourself or head to one of the many organizations that provide them for free. Thanks to the One Community Health Condom Distribution Program, local businesses are literally handing out free condoms every single day. The organization’s goal is to give out one million free condoms every year.

Remember to steer clear of lambskin condoms because while they might prevent pregnancy, their tiny pores don’t protect from STI transmission. Never use the same condom twice.

4. Always use water-based or silicone-based lubes.

Choosing the right lube is so important and can change your experience for the better. Certain brands provide multitudes of flavors and scents that can be a sexy addition with your partner, but make sure they’re water-based or silicone-based. Whatever you do, do not use body lotion, massage oil, jellies — even coconut oil — as a quick replacement for lube. These oils can weaken latex and cause the condom to break without us realizing it.

Pro Tip: make sure you lube up the condom after it’s on (not before), otherwise it might slip off during intercourse.

5. Understand your risk factors.

To understand our risk factors, we must consider our own “sexual networks”. According to HealthySexuals.com, that includes everyone we’ve had sex with — plus all of their partners, plus all of their partners' partners. HIV rates vary from zip code to zip code, and certain demographics are impacted more than others. Knowing this information helps us to understand our potential risk factors.

ALSO READ: 15 U.S. Cities With The Highest Rates Of New HIV Diagnoses

ALSO READ: All 20 STIs And How To Avoid/Treat Them

6. If you’re feeling pain, stop!

Pain is a sign that something could be wrong. Listen to it. Continuing despite the pain might cause rips and tears, making it easier for HIV to enter the bloodstream without us realizing it.

7. Spit or swallow. Don’t let it wallow.

The CDC reports there is "little to no risk" of contracting HIV through oral sex. However, other STIs like syphilis, herpes, gonorrhea, and chlamydia can still be transmitted during oral sex. To lower that risk, it’s always better to remove your mouth before climax.

Pro Tip: Give yourself 45 minutes after brushing or flossing your teeth to perform oral sex, to be sure open slots and nicks are fully closed. 

8. Disinfect your sex toys.

Sex toys can be fun, especially when they’re being shared with you and your sex partners. However, it’s very important to disinfect them between switching them from person-to-person, or from orifice to another. One easy way to do this is by always using condoms on the toy itself, so you can easily switch out the condoms for each use.

9. Gargle up:

Did you know that gargling with Listerine could lower the amount of gonorrhea in the throat? A small study published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections researched 52 gay and bisexual individuals who tested positive for gonorrhea. They found those who gargled with Listerine (vs. saline) had less viable gonorrhea in the throat.