Can You Get Herpes from Sharing a Drink?

If your current sexual partner revealed that they tested positive for herpes, you might question the status of your sexual health. Could you be infected even though you do not have visible genital herpes or cold sores? Can you get herpes from sharing a drink?

While unlikely, it is possible to become infected with herpes after sharing a drink with an infected person. You can also contract and spread the virus even if you do not notice visible sores.

The threat of sexually transmitted diseases it essential to undergo frequent testing if you are sexually active. Contact us at Rapid STD Testing for a rapid STD test today.

How Long Can Herpes Be Exposed in the Air?

Visible genital herpes and cold sores can come and go sporadically. However, once the herpes virus has found a host body, it remains there permanently. If your partner has herpes, you are right to be concerned with ways to protect yourself from also contracting the virus.

You should avoid having sexual relations with your partner if they are in the middle of an active outbreak. Abstaining for a time from oral, anal, and vaginal sex will decrease the risk of transmission.

Frequently cleaning anything that comes into contact with your partner’s sores or your partner’s bodily fluids and saliva is also wise. However, there is no need to be overly cautious about the virus surviving on surfaces or as airborne particles. The herpes virus needs a host to survive.

At maximum, the herpes virus can survive without a host and in the open air for roughly 10 seconds. After 10 seconds, the fragile herpes virus dies from air exposure. Herpes reacts so poorly to air exposure that doctors recommend dry air exposure on the sores to help speed the healing process.

However, that does not mean that you should immediately drink or eat after someone who has an active outbreak of herpes. The 10-second rule is not ironclad, and the herpes virus could possibly survive in wet saliva on a wine glass rim for a few seconds longer. 

Always take proper precautions, and if you would like some peace of mind regarding your sexual health, contact us at Rapid STD Testing for same-day STD testing.

Can You Get Oral Herpes From Sharing a Drink?

If a loved one disclosed to you that they have contracted the herpes virus, you would want to help support them while, at the same time, protecting yourself from the virus. You might also be wondering if your interactions with the infected person might need to change drastically.

Which part of your daily routine would need altering? Should you stop sharing your towels at the beach? Can you get herpes from sharing a drink?

Do not become overly concerned if you accidentally drank from your partner’s water bottle instead of your own. While the herpes virus can spread through saliva, it usually dies from air exposure within 10 seconds. There is a good chance that the virus already died before you put your mouth on the water bottle's rim.

Can You Get Herpes from Sharing Utensils?

It is unlikely that you could contract herpes from shared cutlery, but there is no need to risk infection. It is good practice to wash your utensils well and forgo shared desserts until your partner's outbreak is under control. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) maintains that you cannot get herpes from touching shared items such as towels or silverware.

Typically, the herpes virus manifests itself as genital herpes or cold sores, but it can spread to other areas of the body. HSV-1, otherwise known as oral herpes, is the form of herpes that presents as infectious cold sores. It is wise to keep in mind that herpes is still spreadable without the presence of visible sores.

Any contact with active oozing cold sores leads to a permanent herpes infection..

Can You Get Herpes from Sharing a Straw?

Herpes lives in saliva, so if you share a drink or a straw with someone who backwashes a lot, you risk contracting the virus from their spit. Contracting the virus from a shared straw is highly uncommon, but it does not hurt to take proper precautions.

Symptoms of STD in the mouth include difficulty swallowing, a painful throat, sores in the back of the throat, and cold sores around the mouth. If you suspect that you might have a herpes infection, contact Rapid STD Testing for a full 10-panel STD test today.

How to Protect Yourself from HSV-1

If you are concerned about contracting oral herpes, you can take some precautions to reduce the likelihood of becoming infected. Remember that HSV-1 can spread even if the fever blisters are not visibly present. By engaging in safe practices, you can help stop the spread of HSV-1 as well as other viruses.

   1. If you receive a dirty glass at a restaurant, request a new, clean glass. You can never be sure who used it last or what illness could be lingering on the rim of the glass.

   2. Clean your kitchen surfaces before preparing food to kill any remaining viruses and bacteria.

   3. Wash your hands frequently.

   4. When it comes to HSV-1, sharing is not caring. Avoid communal dishes to reduce accidental exposure.

   5. Do not kiss an infected person on the mouth.

   6. Do not share a toothbrush with your infected partner.

   7. Do not allow your partner to perform oral sex on you if they have an oral herpes outbreak. The cold sores can transmit to your genitals during oral sex, possibly causing an HSV-2 genital herpes infection.

Why Did Your Partner’s Herpes Come Back?

Herpes never leaves the body; it only lies dormant for a while. Stressful situations that can cause flare-ups include:

•   other illnesses
•   general fatigue
•   emotional distress
•   physical injuries
•   menstruation

It can be frustrating to have to adjust your life around your partner’s health. You will need to make sacrifices to maintain your health and safety.

Skipping out on a one-milkshake, two-straws date night might not seem like a massive inconvenience in comparison to contracting a permanent disease, but change can still be unsettling. You might feel resentment towards your partner whenever another outbreak pops up.

Be advised that your partner has very little control over their herpes outbreak and probably feels even more discouraged than you do. Discuss your safety concerns with your partner and work together to make each other’s health a priority.

How Herpes Is Commonly Transmitted

The common stigma around herpes is sexual infidelity. Due to the harmful stereotype, you might accuse your partner of cheating if they suddenly exhibit the symptoms of a herpes outbreak.

However, your partner could have developed herpes long before you ever met them—and they did not necessarily contract the virus sexually.

Sexual Transmission

All sexual contact—such as foreplay, oral sex, anal sex, vaginal sex, or adult play involving sex toys—can lead to a herpes viral infection. Herpes does not spread only from genital-to-genital contact. If your partner touches their infected area with their fingers, then touches you, the virus can spread from their fingers.

Herpes is the most contagious when you are not practicing safe sex. Unfortunately, your sexual partners are not legally bound to inform you if they have herpes.

Be sure to use condoms, dental dams, and physical barriers to prevent skin-to-skin contact during sexual encounters, especially if you engage in casual sex with multiple partners.

Wearing physical barriers during sex does not guarantee that you will remain herpes-free, however. You should also abstain from all sexual contact during an outbreak with open sores. You can predict when the virus will be active by monitoring your physical condition.

If you notice that your infection area is itchy, you are about three days away from an outbreak. If your sores are open and leaking, you are infectious.

Non-Sexual Transmission

Did you know that babies in the womb can contract herpes from their mothers? Other non-sexual transmission methods include:

• A handshake: Herpetic whitlow, otherwise known as “herpes on hands,” causes painful infectious blisters on the fingers.
• A kiss: A chaste kiss can still exchange herpes-ridden saliva. Babies commonly become infected with herpes due to well-meaning but oblivious family members kissing them during an outbreak.
• Birth: If the mother has an active case of the virus around her vagina at birth, she can unintentionally give the herpes virus to her newborn as the child passes through the birth canal.

Precautions to Take to Prevent Contracting Herpes and Other STDs

Avoiding contracting an STD is a high priority for most single adults since painful burning sores around the rectum, genitals, and mouth are a less-than-ideal situation.

Adults in committed relationships starting to plan a family should also be concerned about contracting herpes since the virus can lower a man’s sperm count and cause infant death, known as neonatal HSV.

If you already have herpes, you should use protection, abstain from sex during an outbreak, and take herpes medication daily to protect your sexual partner from infection. You should also avoid touching your sores. If you have to touch your sores, wash your hands immediately afterwards.

It is best to refrain from kissing anyone during a cold sore outbreak. Additionally, do not use spit to clean your snorkeling goggles, sunglasses, or contacts. You could spread the herpes virus to your eyes.

Abstinence

The only way to confidently protect yourself from contracting herpes and other STDs is to remain celibate. Alternatively, you can remain abstinent until you and your partner are in a committed relationship, and you have both agreed to take routine STD tests to stay on top of your sexual health.

STD testing can let you know which STD you might have contracted. Some STDs present similar symptoms. For example, when it comes to HPV vs. herpes, you might not be able to tell the difference between HPV genital lesions and herpes genital lesions.

Contact us at Rapid STD Testing for professional medical testing and fast results.

How Do You Get Herpes Testing?

Call Rapid STD Testing at (866) 872-1888 for testing and a consultation with a doctor today.