Are dental dams safe?

[Jay27]

I’ve used protection for oral before but I’ve just DIYed it from nonlubricated latex free condoms. I found latex free dental dams online that I want to try but all of them have some kind of scent or flavor (same for all the ones that do have latex). This might be a stupid question, but how is that safe? I’ve heard that you can get irritation or an infection from using scented soap on your vulva so wouldn’t it be unsafe to use something else scented down there?

[Heather]

They are, to the best of my knowledge, safe and made with the understanding that they will be used genitally, unlike, say, a lot of soaps. However, just like we'd tell people not to use flavored condoms for vaginal sex who know they (or their partners) are particularly sensitive to sugars, we'd suggest folks who are avoid any dams that use sugars or other sweeteners.

That said, there absolutely are those on the market that don't have flavors or scents. Those can sometimes be easier to find by getting/looking for the kind sold for actual dental use.

[Jay27]

Are there any non flavored ones that are non latex? I was tested and I’m not technically allergic, but I have contact dermatitis.

[Sam W]

Hi Jay27,

There are indeed non-latex dental dams. If you do some internet searching, it looks like there are a number of brands that would fit your needs.