A medical expert, Dr Diran Ojelakin has warned against the use of saliva as lubricant during sexual intercourse.

Ojelakin, a physician at the Life Goal Hospital, Ilorin,  told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday, that such practice was capable of increasing the chance of Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI), like herpes.

The medical expert, who said though saliva might seem harmless and natural, noted that “any STI, either in the mouth or throat, can easily be introduced into the vagina when saliva was used.

”Some herpes are not visible on the lips or mouth for you to know if your partner has it or not, so the best thing is to avoid it. Herpes can be present with blisters or sores, but it can also be transmitted asymptomatically.

”And it is not only herpes that can be transmitted this way, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, syphilis, others can also be transmitted to the genitals through saliva,”  he said.

According to the physician, the bacteria in the mouth is different from the one in the vagina, which exposes a woman to yeast infection when saliva is introduced to her genitals.

”Saliva also contains digestive enzymes that break down food and when you introduce these bacteria and enzymes into your vagina, the result can upset your vaginal microbiome.

”This leaves you susceptible to developing a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis, and apart from the health implications, saliva doesn’t have slippery consistency and it dries up easily, so it’s not even enjoyable.

”So, the best thing is to get a water-based lubricant in any pharmacy, so as to reduce the risk of infection and also reduce friction,” he said.