theoretical risks

[anxiouslauz]

Ok, I'm a complete worrier and I don't like it when I keep reading things on the internet about theoretical risks for hiv transmission.  For example, I engaged in open mouth kissing with a guy I didn't know in a club and I also had a coldsore on the top of my lip but it wasn't at the very active phase.  When I read about it, it says that there's a theoretical risk if bleeding gums are involved and open wounds like cuts, coldsores and canker sores.  But no one really knows if there was a slight bit of blood involved in a kiss.  
So what does theoretical risk mean??  Obviously that it hasn't happened but that it could.  So what does that mean for people who have theoretical risks?  Should we just forget about it and move on or would that be irresponsible?  Do we need to test even when theres a possibility of a risk?

[anxiouslauz]

I'm on the OCD community board.  I do have OCD and it's very hard to live with.  That's why I ask maybe 'silly' questions because comments from slightly more sane people reassure me and make me understand when I'm being irrational.  So thank you for your responses.

[Teak]

When scientists describe the risk of transmitting an infectious disease, like HIV, the term “theoretical risk” is often used. Very simple, “theoretical risk” means that passing an infection from one person to another is possible, even though there may not yet be any actual documented cases. “Theoretical risk” is not the same as likelihood. In other words, stating that HIV infection is “theoretically possible” does not necessarily mean it is likely to happen –only that it might. Documented risk, on the other hand, is used to describe transmission that has actually occurred, been investigated, and documented in the scientific literature.

[J_friend]

you didn't have a risk for HIV infection, my friend.  But mark my words, if you are going to be concerned about possible infection from kissing, you may be in for a HUGE road of MANY HIV concerns in the future.   Theoretical, let's say from kissing, means that if you had a big open, bleeding wound in your mouth, and your infected partner was gushing infected blood into that very wound ... that it would STILL be theoretical.  Honest. So, no, you don't need to test over this.