Everything You Need to Know About Dental Dams

In a recent video, BuzzFeed enlisted the help of several queer women to explain dental dams, and they did a damn good job.

If you didn't know, a dental dam is a thin piece of latex designed to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. In a nut shell, you stretch it over your partner's naughty bits before oral sex. 

Although BuzzFeed's video is informative, educational and entertaining, we still had questions and needed answers. Here's everything you need to know about dental dams. 

Where can I get dental dams? 

Surprisingly, you can get them pretty easily from pharmacies (Walgreens, CVS) and online retailers including Amazon. They even make flavored dams just in case you have a sweet tooth (or hate the taste of latex).

Can I use a condom instead? 

Yep! It's really easy: Take the condom out of the wrapper. Cut off the tip and slice down the length of the condom. Unroll and voilà. A home made dental dam. 

Why should I use dental dams?

TBH, oral sex isn't exactly safe and/or clean. Penises and vaginas are crawling with bacteria, and butt holes .... don't even get us started on butt holes. Using a dental dam protects the giver from STDs like herpes, genital warts and HIV, as well as sexually transmitted infections. If you gotta lick the booty like groceries, it's best to dam it up. 

Does anyone actually use them? 

Not exactly. In 2010, researchers found that only 2.1 percent of women who have sex with women use dental dams regularly. And use among men who have sex with men, is virtually non-existent, which indicates their unpopularity. 

Have you used a dental dam during oral sex? Take our poll!