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A dental dam is a contraceptive that is used to provide protection during oral sex. It is a thin piece of latex or polyurethane that is used to form a barrier between the mouth and vagina or anus during oral sex. It’s important to understand that a dental dam can’t be used as a birth control method, but it can be used to reduce the risk of transmission of STI i.e. sexually transmitted infections through body fluids.
Condoms do provide protection against STI but they can be used only for mouth-to-penis kind of oral sex, whereas a dental dam provides protection during mouth-to-vagina or mouth-to-anus kind of oral sex. A dental dam is usually placed on the vagina or anus to create the barrier.
If you want to explore oral anal sex but feeling a little sceptical, you can definitely consider using a dental dam. A dental dam not only prevents certain STI but it also protects you from getting in contact with faecal matter from the anus, containing bacterias like E. coli and Shigella.
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How to easily make a dental dam using a condom:
If you got out of the store and bought dental dams, you can make it on your own! Here’s how:
- Take any normal latex condom
- Cut off the top and bottom of the condom using a clean scissor
- Cut in the shape of a dental dam to make it a flat sheet.
And it’s ready!
How to use a dental dam:
Lay the dental dam like a flat sheet carefully covering your vagina or anus. During oral-vaginal sex, place is over the vulva and during oral-anal sex, place it flat over the anus. Make sure your dental dam should be large enough to cover your whole area of the vagina or anus.
You will need to hold the dental dam in place while having oral sex. You should stop the oral sex if the dental dam slips or breaks and place a new one before continuing again. Don’t reuse a dental dam, you should throw away the dental dam after use.
What kind of infections do dental dams protect against?
By creating a barrier between the mouth and genitalia you can protect yourself from making direct contact with the bodily fluids and genitalia of your partner. If used correctly dental dams can provide protection against:
- Gonorrhea
- Herpes (HSV-1 and HSV-2)
- Chlamydia
- Syphilis
- Human papillomavirus (HPV)
Dental Dams can’t provide protect against:
- Pubic lice (crabs).
- Scabies.
- Genital warts.
- Herpes.