Can You Get HIV From Kissing or Oral Sex?
Quick answer
Kissing is not a way to get HIV. The CDC says you cannot transmit HIV through closed-mouth kissing or through saliva alone, and that very rarely, deep open-mouth kissing has led to transmission when both partners had sores or bleeding gums. The CDC also lists oral sex as an activity with little to no risk. Other STIs can pass through oral sex, so testing is still worth considering. If you had a higher-risk exposure in the last 72 hours, ask about PEP.
Which of these apply to you?
Tick the field marks that match.
The first item carries no risk of HIV. The others carry little to no risk, but a clinician can talk it through with you. This is not a diagnosis, and only a test can show HIV.
If you’re searching this, you are probably replaying something that happened and trying to work out whether you need to worry. For kissing, the answer is reassuring. For oral sex, the risk is low, and this page explains the details and what to do if you’re still unsure.
Can you get HIV from kissing?
No, not from ordinary kissing. The CDC says you cannot transmit HIV through closed-mouth kissing, and you cannot transmit it through saliva alone. The NHS agrees, saying you cannot get HIV from kissing, hugging or shaking hands, or from sharing toilet seats, food, drinks or everyday household items like cups and cutlery.
The CDC lists deep, open-mouth kissing among the extremely rare ways HIV might be transmitted. Very rarely it has happened when both partners had sores or bleeding gums. For transmission to occur, something very unusual would have to happen.
Can HIV be transmitted through saliva?
No. HIV spreads through certain body fluids that come into contact with a mucous membrane or damaged tissue, or are injected into the bloodstream. Saliva isn’t one of them. The CDC adds that HIV does not survive long outside the human body and can’t reproduce outside a human host.
If there is blood in the mouth, such as from bleeding gums or a cut, that is a different situation, which is why the CDC’s rare cases involved sores or bleeding.
Can you get HIV from oral sex?
The CDC puts oral sex among the activities with little to no risk of HIV. In its risk estimates, both receptive and insertive oral sex are rated “low”, meaning the risk is too small to put a precise number on, while anal and vaginal sex carry measurable risk. Our page on HIV risk after a condom break or one-time exposure has the comparison.
The CDC says the chance can go up with ejaculation in the mouth, oral ulcers, bleeding gums, genital sores or other STIs. It also reminds readers that you can get other STIs from oral sex, so it’s worth thinking about more than HIV.
What about biting, spitting or sharing a drink?
The CDC says there is no chance of transmission through spitting, or through biting when the skin is unbroken. The small number of documented bite cases involved severe bite trauma with extensive tissue damage and blood. The NHS says you cannot get HIV from sharing food, drinks, cups or cutlery. In short, everyday contact with a person who has HIV does not put you at risk.
What if I’m still worried?
Low risk is not the same as no risk, and it’s fine to want certainty. You have two options.
- Ask about PEP, if it has been less than 72 hours. PEP is emergency HIV medicine, and the CDC says it must be started within 72 hours of a recent possible exposure. A clinician can judge whether your situation calls for it, so tell them exactly what happened. Don’t wait: see HIV PEP: what to do in the first 72 hours.
- Get tested after the window period. No HIV test works immediately. A lab antigen/antibody test can usually detect HIV 18 to 45 days after exposure, and an antibody test, including a home self-test, 23 to 90 days. See our window periods guide and HIV testing page.
What about herpes and other infections?
Oral sex and kissing are more relevant to other infections than to HIV. If you noticed a sore, tingling or a blister afterwards, see can you get herpes from kissing or oral sex. An online STD test can check for several infections at once, so look at the list of infections it includes.
How can I lower my risk in future?
The CDC says condoms and medicines to prevent HIV protect during sex. If you are worried about HIV through sex with partners whose status you don’t know, PrEP is a medicine for people without HIV who may be exposed. A clinician can tell you whether it’s right for you.
Get care today if
- You think you may have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours, especially if blood, open sores or ejaculation in the mouth were involved
- You were sexually assaulted in the last 72 hours
- You have a fever, rash, sore throat or swollen glands a few weeks after a possible exposure
- You have painful sores in or around your mouth or genitals that are not healing
Call 911 for a medical emergency. Otherwise, urgent care or your doctor can see you today.
When to test
- Within 72 hours, if you're worried about the exposureGo to an emergency room or urgent care clinic now and ask whether PEP is appropriate for what happened. Tell them if blood, sores or ejaculation in the mouth were involved. See our HIV PEP page.
- After the window period, if you want a clear answerPick a test type and wait until its window has passed. A lab antigen/antibody test usually detects HIV 18 to 45 days after exposure, and antibody tests including home self-tests 23 to 90 days.
- At least once, and routinely if you have new partnersThe CDC says everyone between 13 and 64 should be tested for HIV at least once, and that people with certain risk factors, such as new partners, should test more often.
Common questions
Can HIV be transmitted through saliva?
No. The CDC says you cannot transmit HIV through saliva alone, and that HIV is not transmitted through saliva. The CDC also says HIV does not survive long outside the human body and cannot reproduce there.
Can I get HIV from deep or open-mouth kissing?
The CDC lists deep, open-mouth kissing among the extremely rare ways HIV might be transmitted. It says transmission has happened very rarely, when both partners had sores or bleeding gums. Closed-mouth kissing cannot transmit HIV.
How risky is oral sex for HIV?
The CDC lists oral sex as an activity with little to no risk and gives both giving and receiving oral sex a risk level of low. It says ejaculation in the mouth, oral ulcers, bleeding gums, genital sores or other STIs can increase the chance.
Can I get other STIs from oral sex or kissing?
Yes. The CDC says you can get other STIs from oral sex. Our herpes page covers that infection and how it can spread in more detail.
Can I get HIV from sharing a drink, cup or toilet seat?
No. The NHS says you cannot get HIV from sharing toilet seats, food, drinks, or everyday household items like cups and cutlery. The CDC says you can't get HIV from activities that don't involve contact with body fluids, such as touching.
Sources
This guide is general information written by a patient advocate using public health sources. It is not a diagnosis. Only a clinician who examines you, or a lab test, can tell you what you have. Read how we write and check our guides.