Thank you for taking the time doc(s); I appreciate that you are not psychiatrists and sometimes these questions tend to sound like they come from the seat of a couch, but I've got another panicky question for you:

The other night I kissed a girl who is likely to have HIV. Without getting into the pg-13 details, it was a short fling of sexual kisses that wouldn't have left me suspicious had I not also discovered one tiny sore on the tip of my tongue on the same night. It seemed to be maybe an irritated tastebud or a bite scrape or a cold sore.. not bleeding but irritated. It was gone in a matter of hours.

So what, based on your experience, do you think? I understand as a health care professional you need to say that this is a "possible" risk, because the integrity of the skin in my mouth was weakened, and because there have been reported cases of oral transmission, whether or not you believe in the integrity of the data.

And it's hard for me to be absolutely sure, in hindsight, that she wasn't bleeding in her mouth, but I imagine it would be a taste-able amount of blood required to transmit the virus right?

But should I bother panicking for the next three months as I wait for the incubation period to pass before I should even bother to get a test? Or is this just an unreasonable fear? because I feel like if it was that easy to contract the virus than almost everyone would have it.

Thank you again, and I hope that this stupid-esque question also helps others who are embarrassed to ask

Nice to see your reasonable brain trying to calm your anxiety. As you suspect there is no risk of HIV transmission here. I would not get HIV tested just because of this encounter. DW