How to Use a Dental Dam: Steps for Safer Oral Sex
To use a dental dam, place a new latex or polyurethane sheet flat over your partner’s vulva or anus before oral contact, hold it in place throughout oral sex, and throw it away afterward. Keep the same side facing your mouth the entire time.
You use this thin barrier to reduce contact with body fluids and covered skin. Adding a dental dam to your sexual health routine lowers your risk of sexually transmitted infections during oral sex, although some risk remains from exposed areas.
From Package to Disposal: Positioning and Using the Barrier
You need full coverage, a steady hold, and the same mouth-facing side from start to finish.
Check the package. Read the instructions and expiration date. Use a fresh dam with an intact wrapper.
Open it carefully. Tear the wrapper without using your teeth or sharp objects. Unfold the sheet and check for holes, tears, or other damage.
Add compatible lubricant. Apply a small amount of water-based lubricant or silicone-based lubricant to the body-facing side. Knowing where to apply lubricant helps you reduce friction without making the edges difficult to grip.
Cover the area. For oral sex on the vulva, cover the vaginal opening and surrounding external tissue. For oral-anal sex, cover the anus and surrounding skin. Keep the sheet outside the body.
Hold the edges gently. You or your partner should keep the barrier flat without stretching it. Keep your mouth on the covered area, and never flip the sheet over.
Dispose of it. Lift it away carefully and place it in the trash. Avoid flushing it.
Keep oil-based products, including petroleum jelly and lotion, away from your dam because they damage the barrier. Avoid nonoxynol-9, a spermicide that causes irritation. Store unused dams in a cool, dry place.
What Protection Does a Dental Dam Provide?
With correct use, you reduce your exposure to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but you still have some risk.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea: You reduce direct contact between your mouth and infected genital or anal fluids.
Herpes, syphilis, and HPV: You gain protection over the covered area. Contact with uncovered skin or sores still carries risk, including exposure to genital herpes.
HIV: Your risk of getting or transmitting HIV through oral sex is already very low to none. A dam adds a barrier against fluid contact.
Intestinal infections: During oral-anal sex, you risk exposure to bacteria such as E. coli and Shigella, as well as hepatitis A and intestinal parasites. A barrier reduces direct mouth-to-anus contact.
You should not rely on a dental dam to prevent pubic lice, which spread through close contact with infested hair outside its coverage.
You also cannot judge STI status by appearance or symptoms. Discuss testing with your partner and healthcare provider, including whether you need a throat swab after oral exposure. You still need testing and any recommended vaccines as part of your sexual health care.
How Do You Make a Dental Dam From a Condom?
You can make a dental dam from a condom by cutting a new latex or polyurethane condom into a flat sheet.
Open the wrapper carefully and fully unroll the condom.
With clean scissors, cut off the closed tip.
Cut off the rolled ring at the open end.
Cut lengthwise down one side of the remaining tube.
Open it into a rectangle and check for accidental holes or tears.
Choose polyurethane if you or your partner has a latex allergy. Avoid natural-membrane condoms for STI prevention, and choose a condom without nonoxynol-9.
Your finished sheet needs to cover the intended area with enough room to hold its edges. For oral sex on the vulva, keep the vaginal opening and the external area your mouth touches covered throughout contact.
Where Can You Find the Right Dental Dam?
You can find ready-to-use dental dams online and through some sexual health clinics or community distribution programs.
For personal use, you may have access to free supplies through local organizations supported by public health programs. Availability varies by location.
When choosing a dam, check its material and size. You need enough coverage to keep your mouth from reaching exposed tissue while leaving room to hold the edges.
If you have a latex allergy, choose a polyurethane barrier and check the label for its material. You can also choose flavored or unflavored options according to your preference, while keeping lubricant compatibility and package instructions in mind.
A Fresh Barrier for Every Partner and Body Area
Use a fresh dental dam whenever you change partners or move between the anus and vulva. You risk transferring bacteria and sexually transmitted infections if you reuse a sheet, wash it, or turn it over.
Keep each dam in place for the full act of oral sex, use compatible lubricant, and discard it after use. If you switch to intimacy without oral contact or penetration, choose activities you and your partner are comfortable with.
Frequently Asked Questions
You should pause oral contact whenever your barrier loses coverage or becomes damaged.
What should you do if your dental dam tears or slips?
Stop oral contact immediately and replace the dam if it tears. If it slips, pause and restore full coverage; use a fresh sheet if you lose track of which side faced your mouth.
Should you use a dental dam or condom for oral sex on a penis?
Use an intact condom for oral sex on a penis. You use a flat dental dam for oral contact with the vulva or anus.
Should you have oral-anal sex if you or your partner has sores?
You should pause oral-anal sex when either of you has unexplained sores in an area involved in contact. A dental dam leaves surrounding skin exposed, so seek medical advice about the sores before resuming contact.
