Sexual Transmitted Diseases

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD's) affect millions of people worldwide each year. While there are disparities amongst specific ethnic, social, and gender divides, the fact remains that STD's are not bound by country, religion, or race. This is because there are not only dozens of varieties of STD's, but despite a worldwide campaign promoting safe sex, people, especially young people, continue to engage in unprotected sex.

This is cause for great concern as unprotected sex may not only lead to an STD, but may also result in an unwanted pregnancy. It is simply no longer acceptable to solely teach children about the dangers of sex. The reality is that unless safe sex is taught at home, STD cases will continue to rise.

However, STD's do not only affect teenagers and young adults, they also affect older adults including the elderly. In fact, there has been a recent spike in the number of STD cases reported in those over 50.

Safe Sex is smart sex. If you understand how STD's are transmitted, then you will be better prepared to protect yourself. Although, general safe sex practices such as wearing a condom for a man or using dental dam for a woman will not fully protect you. This is because many STD's such as the Herpes virus may be transmitted during any skin-to-skin contact.

This is why it is important do discuss a person’s past sexual history as well as when they were last tested for a full range of STD's before engaging in any sexual activity. If you feel comfortable with their answers, you should still take normal precautions such as wearing a condom if you a male including during oral sex and using dental dam if you plan to engage in oral sex with a woman.

If you plan to use any ointments, gels, lubes, or creams during your sexual activity be sure that the product will not conflict with your safe sex precautions.