A type of oral sex that involves stimulating the anus. Rimming can be enjoyed by all genders and sexual orientations. Several sexually transmitted infections STIs can also be spread through oral-anal contact. This article explains what rimming is, how to prepare, and the possible risks associated with this common sexual practice. Rimming is a common sexual practice. While many people associate it with men who have sex with men MSM , people who identify as heterosexual regularly engage in rimming.
The pudendal nerve enables the sexual stimulation of reproductive organs like the penis and vagina. Since branches of the pudendal nerve also service the anus and perineum, licking, kissing, or fingering these non-reproductive structures can also lead to sexual arousal.
This is why so many people find rimming so pleasurable. As pleasurable as rimming can be, there are certain risks associated with the practice. As with other types of oral sex, there is no risk of pregnancy associated with rimming.
However, rimming may expose someone to an STI. Some of the STIs that can be transmitted by rimming include:. STIs like syphilis and herpes can pass through contact with open sores and ulcers. Herpes and HPV can also be passed through skin-to-skin contact. There are several key ways to prevent getting an STI through rimming:.
Rimming carries the risk of infections from bacteria, parasites, and viruses that pass through the anus during defecation also known as the fecal-oral route. Among the infections you can get via the fecal-oral route are:. Many of the same precautions used to prevent STIs can also apply to these fecal-oral infections. In addition:. Rimming is not the same as anal sex. Rimming can be enjoyed as a standalone act or used as foreplay to any other sexual activity you and your partner are up for.
