Eli5: if there are a ton of harmful bacteria in every persons mouth, why is it relatively safe to give/receive oral when genitalia is so sensitive to foreign bacteria?
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An elephant won’t live long in the ocean. A shark wouldn’t live well on the savanna.
At the micro scale, seemingly small difference in the bacterium’s habitat can make a huge difference. The vagina is really acidic and lacks nutrients compared to the mouth. Bacteria in the oral cavity depend a lot on their ability to attach to things.
Other people have noted those differences. But another big thing is that there are a lot of bacteria in these locations already. Competition is really tough, and any new member of the microbial community needs to be really strong in order to carve out its niche in that new space.
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