Is oral sex considered safe?

Many teenagers believe that oral sex is not considered sex because it does not fit into their definition of sexual intercourse. Many more are unaware that oral sex is not "safe sex" and can transmit life-threatening and incurable diseases such as HIV, HPV, genital herpes, Chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea. [1]

1. S Edwards and C Carne, Oral Sex and the transmission of viral STIs, Sexually Transmitted Infections, 1998, 74(1) 6-10.