What Is Birth Control? The term “birth control” refers to a broad spectrum of methods that partners engaging in sexual activity use to prevent pregnancy. The most common types of birth control are hormonal methods, barrier methods, surgical procedures, withdrawal, and abstinence. In the United States, over 40% of women are using some form of…
Tag: dental dam
Barriers During Oral Sex: The Wise Choice
Oral sex includes contact between the mouth and a penis, vagina, or anus. Although oral sex cannot lead to pregnancy, oral sex can and does lead to the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Oral barriers, including condoms and dental dams, prevent direct contact between the partners’ skin and any bodily fluids, significantly reducing the…
Dental Dams
Dental dams are small, square pieces of latex or silicone rubber that are placed outside the vulva or anus. Dental dams prevent the transfer of bodily fluids by creating a barrier between the mouth and vulva or anus during oral sex. If a dam is not available at your local drugstore, plastic saran wrap from…
An Overview of STIs
The Basics Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are infections that can be spread through sexual contact such as intercourse, oral sex, kissing, or shared sex toys. Also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), these conditions are more often asymptomatic than not, which means an infected individual does not show signs of infection. To contract an STI,…