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Yeast infections are caused due to an increase in the natural yeast in the body. Mostly women get yeast infections but men have also been known to get yeast infections. Like most common infections, there are many myths that surround yeast infections too.

A common myth is that sex spreads yeast infection. This is not true. Yeast infection does not spread with sex. Similarly, can oral sex spread yeast infections? Let's look at more such information.

• Yeast infection does not spread while having sex if the woman is suffering from yeast infection and the man is not.
• Sometimes the man being infected can infect the woman. In such cases, the woman's body will get infected only if she is stressed and susceptible to infections and sex is not the only cause of spread.
• While the act of intercourse might not pass on infection, oral sex during yeast infection can pass on infection. This is especially true if the man is infected and has symptoms in the mouth.
• Oral sex does can disturb the balance of bacteria and yeast in the mouth or in the genitals. If the symptoms are found in the mouth, it is an oral yeast infection or thrush.
• Two partners of the same sex, especially two women, may pass on yeast infection to each other, when they have sex. This subject has not been studied in great detail to be able to prove this conclusively.
• For people who are sexually active, constant exposure to yeast infections through partners who are infected puts them at risk for bigger infections.
• If either you or your partner has yeast infection, you can have sex but the level of comfort will depend on both of you. Using condoms, diaphragms or spermicidal gel can increase the chances of flare ups because these reduce the efficacy of the yeast infection treatment.

As part of effective yeast infection treatment, it is best to avoid oral sex. Intercourse and oral sex is best abstained from till the yeast infection clears up. Yeast infection can have symptoms that irritate. If your partner is using a cream-based treatment, it is best not to have sex till the treatment is on. Maintaining a low sugar diet, getting adequate rest, wearing comfortable clothes, completing the course of medication and adding yogurt to your everyday diet will help rid you of the yeast infection at the earliest.

Reference:

1. https://www.msu.edu/~eisthen/yeast/men.html?iframe=true&widt
2. Richard E. Michod, Harris Bernstein, Aurora M. Nedelcu, Adaptive value of sex in microbial pathogens, Infection, Genetics and Evolution, Volume 8, Issue 3, May 2008, Pages 267-285, ISSN 1567-1348, 10.1016/j.meegid.2008.01.002.
   (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S156713480800004X)
   Keywords: Recombination; Oxidative stress; Evolution of sex; DNA repair; Microbial pathogens; Bacterial transformation; Multiplicity reactivation

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