Dental Dam – Everything You Need to Know
When it comes to safe sex, there are so many more options than condoms or birth control. And no, we’re not talking about the pulling-out method because this is definitely not safe at all.
A dental dam, on the other hand, is a great method of keeping yourself healthy and sound after a sexual relationship with someone.
What is a Dental Dam?
Dental dams are so-called barrier protection methods. Those are small pieces of latex or non-allergic alternative materials that are used during sex to protect a person during oral sex or when they’re contacting the anus with their mouths.
Read about Plan B, or the morning-after pill, is an emergency contraceptive drug that is designed to prevent pregnancy after you have unprotected sex or your primary contraceptive failed.
Why Do People Use Dental Dams?
Sex doesn’t always happen with someone you know well and someone whose health you know a lot about. This is when the risk of catching an STI is at its highest.
Naturally, STIs are not a welcome bonus gift after sex, so dental dams are applied during a blowjob, anilingus, or cunnilingus.
Yes, STIs are not just transmitted through blood, but they can be given to someone through all bodily fluids. So if you thought that as long as you’re using the condom or birth control you’re safe – unfortunately, that’s not really the case.
Dental dams are also a big hit for those who love some anus action. Penetrative sex is covered by a condom, but if you’re about to put your tongue there, and you’re feeling uneasy about being in such close contact with the anus and possibly touching fecal matter, then this barrier method of protection is just what you need.
The beautiful part about dental dams is that they’re super portable. They’re lightweight and small, so you can take them anytime anywhere, even if you just have a small pocket on you and nowhere else to put it.
What Do Dental Dams Protect Against?
Dental dams are great at protecting us against the widest range of diseases and infections.
Those infections are also transmitted by penetrative sex, that’s why condoms are so prevalent. Unfortunately, sexual education is still an issue and is non-existent in many societies, and doctors are also not inclined to share this information when talking about safe intimacy practices.
That’s why so many have never even heard about dental dams and how they’re great at reducing or eliminating risks of getting:
- HIV
- Chlamydia
- Syphilis
- Hepatitis
- Gonorrhea
If we’re talking about anilingus, there are so many bacteria there that come from fecal matter. None of them are good for you to come in contact with. In addition to bacteria, you can catch intestinal parasites if you’re not being careful or are simply unlucky.
Overall, dental dams protect you against a whole range of sex-associated risks.
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- HIV
- Bacterial infections
- Skin-to-skin contact STIs
Plus, they’re also just good for your hygiene and safety. Bodily fluids are not bad and shouldn’t be villainized, but they add more risk to sex. That’s why it’s always better to have one or two at hand if you’re actively dating and sleeping with different people.
What are Dental Dams Useless Against?
Dental dams sound pretty cool, but they’re not your one-stop shop solution. There are several things that dental dams are unable to guard you from, including:
- Herpes, if the herpes lesion is not covered by the dam and you come in contact with it.
- Public lice are not afraid of the dental dam. There’s enough of them to spread around genitals that you’re guaranteed to find them on yourself later.
- HPV, a.k.a. human papillomavirus is shared through contact with skin, so unless your sex partner is covered in dental dams completely, you have a good risk of catching it.
Overall, it’s important to remember that while protection methods we use for sex help reduce risks, they don’t eliminate them completely. You can still come in contact with something that results in a virus or a disease. Dental dams are effective, but they’re not superheroes.
Sex is messy and intense, and people move around a lot, and their bodily fluids move with them. It’s possible that a dental dam will be used incorrectly or it will be too late by the time it’s used.
Also, if you reuse them multiple times or flip them over, then you can actually increase your chances of getting something you’d rather not contract.
Where to Find a Dental Dam?
Dental dams are not sold everywhere in supermarkets like condoms are, but you can still find them in major pharmacy chains and drugstores. Also, most online marketplaces will carry them, so you can ship a few dental dams to your house in a discreet package.
Some sex shops will carry them too, and so will community health centers and LGBTQ+ centers.
Bonus tip: Although it’s not ideal, you can DIY a dental dam. Get a condom or something else made of latex, cut it, and use it as a makeshift dental dam.
If you’re unsure where to get a dental dam in your town, your safest bet is to google this type of protection plus your location, and you’ll find spots nearest to you where they’re available for sale.
How to Use a Dental Dam?
If you’ve never used a dental dam before and are only learning about them now, you might freak out a little. Don’t sweat it though, they’re really not that hard to operate.
Here’s a little step-by-step guide for using dental dams:
- Take a package and check for damages, such as holes and tears.
- Open up the package carefully and skip sharp objects or you’ll risk damaging it.
- Place it over the area of interest, i.e., vulva or anus.
- Hold the dam with your hands to make sure it’s steady and not slipping.
- Dispose after first use and do not reuse. Throw it away immediately so bodily fluids on it don’t become a hazard.
Bonus tip: Use a Water-Based Lubricant
If you’d like to improve the sensation and make it more comfortable for your partner, use a water-based lubricant.
Water-based alternatives are the safest for dental dams because they prevent tears. Using oil or silicone-based lubricants can cause the material to thin out and weaken, so it will be easy to break or tear it. This is especially true for latex dental dams.
Water-based lubricants are universal and they’re also easy to wash off from the body.
Important: Never Flip it Over
Anytime you need to reapply a dental dam is when you need to use a brand new one.
Switching partners, positions, or areas of application are all causes for getting a fresh new dental dam.
Why?
Flipping the dam and using the other side is simply defeating the purpose of using it at all. Like why would you press your mouth against all the bodily fluids that you were trying so hard to avoid?
By flipping the dam, you’re skyrocketing the risks of:
- Cross-contamination of bodily fluids (from the dam to you)
- Catching STI
- Messing up the hygiene
How to Make Your Own Dental Dam?
Dental dams, on average, cost more than a condom and they’re hard to find too.
If you really struggle with getting one, consider making one at home.
- Take a condom, cut off the tip, cut down one side to create a small sheet, and unroll it flat.
- You can also use a latex glove, cut off its fingers, and cut down the sides of the glove into flat sheets.
Naturally, using a professionally-made dental dam is better, but you can achieve a similar result with a homemade version. In any case, a DIY-ed dam is better than no dam.
Safety Tips for Dental Dams?
The rules for the safe use of dental dams are really simple.
- Never use it twice
- Never flip it
- Switch with every new area
- Open the package carefully
- Use water or silicone-based lubricants
- Dispose immediately after use
If you’re out of dams, use fingers or sex toys to continue the play, and skip the tongue game until you restock on dental dams.
Other Protection Must Haves During Intimacy
There are many protection methods for sexual intimacy, and it’s best if you consult your doctor to find the most fitting options for you.
Besides condoms, here are more options for sexy time that will keep you protected.
- Lubricants reduce friction and help prevent condom breakage.
- Gloves are great for oral and anal stimulation.
- Finger cots are also used for manual stimulation.
- Aftercare items, such as wipes and wash products designed specifically for genital areas.
Last but not least, STI testing is something you should do regularly. In fact, it’s great to run tests before you get intimate with someone new for the first time.
Sexual health is taboo and downplayed a lot which results in so many people putting themselves at risk. It’s understandable that you wouldn’t want to run such tests because they’re intimidating and scary, but staying healthy is more important than anything else.
Also, if your new date asks you about testing for STI, don’t treat it like a personal insult, they’re just being mindful and thoughtful, and they also care for their partners, as they get tested regularly.
