Oral dams

Oral dams are thin sheets of rubber that you can place over someone’s vulva or anus to create a barrier when you have oral sex. This barrier stops sexually transmissible infections (STIs) from passing between you and the person you’re having sex with. 

When you have oral sex that involves a vulva or an anus, it’s best to use an oral dam to protect yourself — and the person you’re having sex with — from STIs. If you’re having oral sex that involves a penis, it’s better to use a condom than an oral dam. 

How to use oral dams

Oral dams are made of very thin latex rubber — they’re often flavoured. 

STIs can be passed on through oral sex. Oral dams are your best protection against STIs when you have oral sex that involves a vulva or an anus. 

• You can only use an oral dam once. You need to use a new oral dam every time you have sex.
• You need to use a new oral dam each time you switch from oral sex with an anus to a vulva.
• Most oral dams have a use by date on the packet. Don’t use expired oral dams.
• Heat can damage oral dams — it’s a good idea to store them somewhere cool and dry. 

Advantages: 

• Oral dams are easy to use  
• You only use oral dams when you need them 
• Oral dams are great protection against STIs 
• Oral dams have no side effects — unless you’re allergic to rubber 
• You can buy oral dams from us, online, or make them out of a condom

Disadvantages:

• Some people are allergic to rubber 
• Some people don’t like the taste or feel of oral dams 

1. Carefully open oral dam and remove from package
2. Place the oral dam flat over the anus or vulva. The person receiving oral sex can help keep the oral dam in place — by holding the top two corners of the latex sheet. The person giving oral sex can hold the bottom two corners in place
3. Before you move from the anus to the vulva, you need to use a new oral dam
4. After sex, wrap the used oral dam in tissue, or toilet paper, and put it in the rubbish
5. Use a new oral dam the next time you have sex  

It’s easy to make an oral dam out of a condom: 

1. Cut the tip of the condom off 
2. Cut the rubber ring at the bottom of the condom off 
3. Make a vertical cut along the full length of the condom — making the rubber tube into a flat latex sheet   
    

Some people don’t want to use oral dams. If you want to use an oral dam, and the person you plan to have sex with doesn’t want to use an oral dam, it’s often best to not have sex with that person.

If you still want to have sex with a person who doesn’t want to use an oral dam, you can try having kinds of sex that don’t need oral dams. These are some types of sex, or physical intimacy, that don’t need oral dams: 

• Masturbating together 
• Massaging each other 
• Cuddling 

If you tell somebody that you want to use an oral dam — to keep yourself safe from STIs — and they say that they don’t want to use an oral dam with you, that’s a red flag.

A person that respects your body and your health will take you seriously when you say that you want to use an oral dam.  

You’re legally allowed to buy oral dams at any age.

You can buy oral dams from us, other online shops, some pharmacies, and many sex stores. 

We can sell you oral dams and teach you how to use them.

We are sexual wellness experts. You might find it scary or embarrassing to talk about this stuff, but we have seen and heard it all before.

Anyone can visit our clinics. If you want to talk to us, we want to talk to you.

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