Before I answer this question, let’s make sure everyone knows what a dental dam is. A dental dam is a sheet of latex that acts as a barrier between the vagina and/or anus and the mouth and is most commonly used during oral sex.

I really like your question. It is a great one. It hardly seems fair that condoms are easily accessible where as dental dams are hard to find, even at retail stores.

Part of the issue with dental dams is that they are expensive.

I went online to look at the cost of dental dams versus the cost of condoms and flavored condoms. Dental dams are over $1.00 per dam, condoms are about $.32 and flavored condoms are about $.30 each.

So why are they so expensive if they are all made out of the same materials?

That comes down to supply and demand. Since dental dams are not marketed to all women and men-just primarily the lesbian community, manufacturers do not make as many and therefore they have to charge more to make the product worth producing.

So why aren’t they marketed better?

The truth is that talking about oral sex is uncomfortable for many people. The general public would not readily accept ad campaigns and television commercials.

I would also like to say that I appreciate that you are conscientious about protecting yourself during sex. If you are unable to find a dental dam, you may use plastic wrap (brand name is best).

It is important to remember check the dental dam or plastic wrap for holes by holding it up the light or running it under water.

Also it is important to note that you should use the appropriate size dental dam or sheet of plastic wrap. If you would like to use lubricant, please use a water-based lubricant.

And as always, before engaging in sexual contact with another person make sure you have both the person’s consent and legal consent.