A lot of people, especially heterosexual women, do not get to experience oral sex because their partners feel its either unclean or infection-prone for them to give oral sex. Partners, on the other hand, also have valid concerns about exchanging a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or disease (STD). Dental dams are recourse to exactly this gap in pleasure-seeking and pleasure giving.
What are dental dams?
Dental dams are, conventionally, a thin sheet of latex or polyurethane used by dentists to isolate a tooth for treatment. A thinner version of these is used while performing oral sex – oral-genital sex and oral-anal sex. In this piece, we refer to dental dams as ones used for oral sex. A dental dam works as a barrier between the mouth and genitals or the anus. These protect against the risk of catching sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by preventing the mouth from coming in contact with genitals and the anus during oral sex.
How are they used?
A dental dam has a small, rectangular sheet-like structure that is spread over the area where oral sex has to be performed. Unlike a condom, that can be worn on a penis and that, more or less, stays in place, a dental dam has to be held in its place by either partner or by both. It can sometimes also stay in place by bodily discharge during sex.
Otherwise, a water-based or silicone-based lubricant might be used to keep it in place and also avoid any friction between the dental dam and the skin. It is to be noted that as in case of a condom, only a water or silicone-based lubricant must be used and not any oil or jelly-based lubricants with a dental dam.
A dental dam’s material is like that of a condom and so is its usage – it should be disposed of after one session of oral sex and a fresh one used for the next time. Similarly, if a dam crinkles or gets torn during oral sex, it must be thrown away and a new one used.
An important thing to note is that when oral sex is being performed on a person with a penis, a condom must be used, and not a dental dam.
Where to find one/How to make a dental dam
A dental dam could be purchased off a pharmacy but they are not so widely available as condoms are. In this situation, you may make a dental dam yourself, by cutting up a condom. Check out the video below for more details:
Here’s how:
Cut the base and end of a condom horizontally. You’ll now be left with a tube-like shape that’s open at both ends. Cut from the side, across the length of the condom, and you shall have a rectangular sheet that is your do-it-yourself dental dam. Place it in its rightful spot and lick away to pleasure.
*To protect the identity, names have been changed and the person/s in the picture is/are models.
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