Anilingus (also spelled analingus)[1][2] is an oral and anal sex act (anal–oral contactoranal–oral sex) in which one person stimulates the anus of another by using their tongue or lips.[3][4]
The anus has a relatively high concentration of nerve endings and can be an erogenous zone, and so the recipient may receive pleasure from external anal stimulation, whereas pleasure for the giver is usually based more on the principle of the act.[5][6] People may engage in anilingus for its own sake, before anal penetration, or as part of foreplay. All sexual orientations may participate in the act. Studies confirm anilingus to be one of the sexual practices between women,[7] though only practiced by a minority.[8]
Analingus is also known in slang terminology as rimming (orrim job), eating ass, or tossing the salad.[3] The origin of "tossing a salad" is not entirely known, but it is used in prison slang in the United States prison system, where performing anilingus on another inmate is one way of paying dues or gaining favor.[9][10]
Anilingus can involve a variety of techniques to stimulate the anus, including use of the lips or licking;[3] it may also involve the tongue moving around the edge of the anus or up and down the insides of the cheeks of the buttocks. Insertion of the tongue into the rectum is another possible technique.[15]
Anilingus with a number of casual partners increases the health risks associated with the practice. Generally, people carrying infections that may be passed on during anilingus appear healthy. Parasites may be in the feces if undercooked meat was consumed. The feces contain traces of hepatitis A only if the infected person has eaten contaminated food.
Prevention
Safe sex practices may include thorough washing of the anal region before anilingus to wash away most external fecal particles and reduce the risk of contraction of fecal-sourced infection. An enema can also reduce the risk of direct fecal contact.[19]Adental dam may also be used, and another safe sex practice is to avoid unprotected sex which involves fellatio after anal intercourse.
If the receiving partner has wounds or open sores on the genitals, or if the giving partner has wounds or open sores on or in the mouth, or bleeding gums, this poses an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections. Brushing the teeth, flossing, undergoing dental work, and eating crunchy foods (such as potato chips) relatively soon before or after performing anilingus also increases the risk of transmission, because all of these activities can cause small scratches on the inside of the lips, cheeks, and palate. These wounds, even when they are microscopic, increase the chances of contracting sexually transmitted infections that can be transmitted orally under these conditions.
^LeVay, Simon; Valente, Sharon (2006). Human sexuality. Oxford University Press, Incorporated. p. 263. ISBN978-0-87893-465-2. Retrieved 30 September 2023.
^Newman, Felice (2004). The Whole Lesbian Sex Book: A Passionate Guide for All of Us. Cleis Press Inc. p. 174. ISBN978-1-57344-199-5.
^Diamant AL, Lever J, Schuster M (June 2000). "Lesbians' Sexual Activities and Efforts to Reduce Risks for Sexually Transmitted Diseases". J Gay Lesbian Med Assoc. 4 (2): 41–8. doi:10.1023/A:1009513623365. S2CID140505473.
^Byrne, J.; Hummer, D. (2007). "In search of the "Tossed Salad Man" (and others involved in prison violence): New strategies for predicting and controlling violence in prison". Aggression and Violent Behavior. 12 (5): 531. doi:10.1016/j.avb.2007.02.001.
^Marc Levin for HBO (1996). Prisoners of the War on Drugs (Documentary) "Prisoners of the War on Drugs". IMDb. Archived from the original on 8 February 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). IMDb. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
^"Is Oral Sex Safe?". University Health Center at the University of Georgia. Archived from the original on 10 October 2007. Retrieved 12 October 2007. (from internet archive)
^"What's Rimming?". Columbia University's internet health service. Archived from the original on 14 July 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2007.
