I have just read some literature from my local GUM clinic saying that it is not advisable to use mouthwash before giving unprotected oral sex as mouthwash contains ingredients that may reduce the mouths ability to resist disease and infection.

It advises using chewing gum instead to freshen breath.

Has anyone else heard similar advice? I'm concerned now as i offer owo and always use mouthwash to freshen my breath. I was aware of the advice to not brush your Teeth for a few hours beforehand to avoid cuts,grazes etc but Ive never read this advice about mouthwash before.

Plus i have a chewing gum phobia and the thought of chewing it makes me heave,i hate mints as well (can just about cope with the mouthwash) so not sure what to do now.

Yes i think the basic gist is that mouthwash may kill off some of the bacteria in the mouth that are beneficial.
However it doesn't say what ingredients are in mouthwash that cause this. I know many brands contain alcohol (also not good for the gums and teeth in the longterm apparently according to Nicky Hambilton- Jones 10 years younger book!)
So donut know if sprays might contain the same ingredients.

Yes i would agree and say its certainly safer still than brushing. I was just a bit alarmed upon reading it as its the first time Ive heard it.

If you'd rather not do OWO, I don't think you should worry about losing business. I've never offered it so I don't know what the difference is, but I know there is work if you don't. If you find that there's a significant drop in interest then you can weight that up against the risks and decide whether you want to start doing it again.

I will say that, as a bisexual man, they've never told me not to do OWO.

I was told once. But lately they seem quite happy given that I use condoms for anal religously...

I wish they'd come out with tiny condoms that stick to the tip and only covers the hole

Condoms that just cover the glans exist - they're known as "American tips" here. They're not widely available, perhaps due to a tendency to come off when used for intercourse.

Try raising your price for it. I had to do that with anal

I used to charge more for certain services, but I had a hard time doing so. It'd annoy me when someone asks for something like a massage, or just oral and then next thing you know your legs are up in the air and you have to ask for more money. Or they ask to fuck but doesnt rise to the occasion during the actual session. Or decide they want to get fucked instead  

So I just figured; all inclusive  

Hi,

I always use Smint mints. The dark blue ones are fantastic. They freshen breath and make your mouth feel really clean.

Pinkminx 

There does seem to be a dearth of different information regarding the risks of  acquiring HIV via oral contact.
To be fair most just er on the side of caution, which is no bad thing. The risks do seem very small from the available research done. In the end its down to judgment and whatever you feel comfortable with.
This link seems to provide a decent level of background research into the issue.
http://www.freedomhealth.co.uk/blog/2009/02/can-i-get-hiv-through-oral-sex.html   

I don't think HIV is the main area of concern, given that most people accept the risk from performing OWO is miniscule provided the giver practices good oral hygiene and does not have cuts/lesions in the mouth, bleeding gums and so on; according to my GUM you would still have to be phenominally unlucky to be infected this way and I don't believe that there is a single case on record where this has been proven beyond doubt to have occured.

The main concerns for me at least are herpes, chlamydia and gonorrohea - all of these can be picked up far more easily and the latter two may have no symptoms. That said, I've been giving OWO as girlfriend or prossie for over twenty years and I have never caught a thing. Dentyl mouthwash is alcohol free and good as a breath freshener (and I like Smints too - you can chew one after rinsing your mouth with water following a sesh). Listerine is very alcoholic and I particularly like the blue one; there is also Corsodyl which contains chlorhexine (a strong antibacterial) but this should not be used often as it is really a treatment and prolonged use thins the skin inside the mouth.

I don't have an answer as I use a combination of all of these things as well as brushing and flossing religiously to keep my gums healthy and guard against any entry points for infection. My clinic don't like me doing OWO either but they have never mentioned mouthwash, just not doing it at all!