Dental dams can be a great way to decrease the risk of contracting a viral or bacterial infection from oral-vaginal or oral-anal sex. Dental dams are square pieces of latex used to prevent the transfer of bodily fluids during oral or anal sex by acting as a barrier (dental dams are not designed to prevent pregnancy, because oral sex does not lead to pregnancy). While the feeling of the latex is different from the feeling of the tongue, the sensation is not necessarily reduced. The use of flavored dental dams or flavored jells can also help make giving oral sex more pleasurable.
One might consider using dental dams anytime when engaging in cunnilingus (oral-vaginal sex) or analingus (oral-anal sex). However, for oral contact with a penis, it is safest to use a condom, to prevent barrier from falling off. Dental dams are especially important during oral-anal sex to prevent transmitting infections from around the anus, but they also help prevent the spread of many STIs like herpes, gonnorhea, genital warts and HIV, which are contracted through the exchange of bodily fluids and can infect the throat, cheeks, face or other body parts.
Dental dams come in a variety of flavors including lavender, wildberry, vanilla and strawberry They can also be created out of a condom. It may be necessary to rinse off the dental dam before use - especially if it has a powdery cornstarch substance on it, because this can lead to a vaginal infection. If purchased unlubricated, apply a water-based lubricant such as KY jelly to the side that will touch the vagina or anus. Check to make sure there are no holes or tears in the material, then spread the dental dam over the entire vulva (female exterior genitals) or anus. Holding the dental dam with your hands, only stimulate the area covered by the dental dam with your tongue and do not touch your tongue to your partner's skin or body.
A riskier makeshift way to create a dental dam is through the use of clear plastic saran wrap. We advise caution though, as this form of a dental dam is much thinner than a latex dental dam and therefore easier to tear or break - but still safer than nothing at all. Test your wrap out before using it on your partner to see how easy it is to tear using just your tongue. Some wraps are stronger than others, but if it tears too easily, try making one out of a condom or purchasing a pre-made dental dam. If you must make a dental dam out of saran wrap, make sure that you are using a non-microwaveable style because the other types of wraps often have pores to allow food to vent. These pores will allow vaginal or anal secretions to pass through the dam and possibly leave you vulnerable to STIs.
There are also a couple of safety precautions to know when using a dental dam. The side of the dental dam that touched the vulva or anus will contain the secretions you are trying to avoid, therefore make sure not to turn the dental dam over during use. Never share a dental dam or use it on more than one person, since this might transfer the fluids from one person to another. Remember, dental dams are for one-time use only. They are inexpensive and easy to make on your own, so reusing an old one should never be an issue.
© - Reproduced with permission of SexInfo, University of California at Santa Barbara, 2007.