ive been hesitant on sucking a cock for so long because i have been afraid to catch anything... is this absurd or am i logical in my thought process? anyone? opinions, experience?

I would say... you're paranoid, yes. lol As long as you're not like... flossing your gums to the point of bleeding then rubbing his cum in the cuts, you should be good.

No, you are not paranoid - yet! If you kept from sucking another cock because of the fears, then yes.

Ok, so, you have some fears. First up, take care of yourself. If your gums, teeth, tongue are all in good shape, you are good to go from your side. (Small scrapes and tiny nicks aren't an issue - it's more bleeding gums from gingivitis or recent dental surgery that could cause problems.) Having said that, saliva is an effective killer of many smaller germs and you should be reasonably ok.

As for your partner, most men DO look after their cocks. Most men DO wash, keep it clean and don't USUALLY have sores and lesions. If you have any doubts - just ask your partner. If you still have doubts, you could suggest a sexy shower time together (nothing like wet, slippery, soapy boners to get you in the mood). If you are still suspicious, whack a condom on his cock - that way BOTH of you will be protected!

Best advice - relax. If you are not relaxed, you won't enjoy the fun. And speaking of fun, man, your cock would be a joy to suck!

I don't think you need to be paranoid. But bottom line, if you are having unprotected sex of any kind, outside of a monogamous relationship, you should have a screening for STDs every six months. They are free and anonymous in nearly every city. Just because someone looks clean and healthy means nothing. If you ask a guy about his health status when he is hot and horny, he may say anything to get his rocks off and no amount of showering or soap with render any human non-infectious.

Strider: I have them every three months. Good advice to add to mine - and ultimately, you are only responsible for your health and your behaviour. You can't be responsible for anyone else or trust them... but, let's not get paranoid here...

I guess I fall into the "paranoid" column. Not only has my concern for sexual safety kept me from sucking, it also inhibits me from being sucked or even feeling comfortable with touching or jerking off another guy.

I guess I feel little concern about AIDS when it comes to touching or to being sucked and from what I've read even sucking is fairly safe, as others have observed, if the mouth is free of cuts or open sores. But there are so many other STDs out there that I'm not convinced that there is no risk of coming home with something that is at least inconvenient.

I did once test positive for chlamydia after play that involved touching but did not involve sticking my cock into any orifices. It is a great mystery to me where I got the infection, but it resulted in my having to make some very uncomfortable confessions.

I am probably most concerned about herpes and not convinced that even when using a condom, the risk of transmission is totally eliminated. On the other hand, I did see what seemed to be a pretty straighforward and thorough site suggest that there's not much of any risk licking or mouthing another guy's shaft.

This is indeed part of the appeal of masturbation for me and finding other people who are interested in exploring masturbation. Safest bet for me is to look but don't touch.

Yes you are paranoid and in this case it is a good thing. If you are concerned about STDs, which people should be, you can always use a condom even for oral sex.