The Center for Disease Control in the U.S. released new data today revealing a decrease overall in oral sex amongst teenagers between 2002 and 2010. The data also reflected a small decline as well within the same group for vaginal intercourse. Amongst females, there was a drop, but amongst males, the overall numbers increased. CDC experts said that close to 2/3 of all individuals between 15 and 24 years of age had experienced oral sex, which the federal government says is risky behaviour, as it is contributing to sexually transmitted diseases being spread.
The data the CDC used came from over 6,350 interviews between 2007 and 2010. The youngest age group between 15 and 19 years of age, which did not have married males said 47% of males and 41% of females had received oral sex. Thirty-five percent of boys and 43% of girl in that group had given oral sex.
The numbers increase for both sexes in the age group 20 to 24. In that group, 80% of women and 81% of men had taken part in oral sex.
Some of the data suggests that a number of adolescents engage in this form of sex because of their belief that overall it is safer and will preserve their individual virginity.
An increased amount of interest has been taken by the CDC over oral sex because of the increase in STDs, including a big spike in the HIV infections amongst males between the ages of 13 and 29.
Other studies have shown that increases in oral cancers are associated with the papillomavirus and that has been attributed to how popular oral sex has become.
