Our mouths supply a home to a host of bacteria that number close to the thousands. While this sounds horrifying, it is natural and normal with food and drink intake and the healthy bacteria in your oral microbiome.
When you visit a dentist, they use a wide range of tools and equipment as they work on your teeth and gums and among these is a dental dam.
This is the purpose of a dental dam, and it is a great tool in the medical arsenal of your dental professional. It may seem like a nuisance when you have to wear one. Know that your dentist is putting your safety as paramount and wants to provide the best care they can.
Never heard of such a device? While it may seem like an odd name, you have probably had one used on you before, even though you never see it being put on.
What Is the Purpose of a Dental Dam?
A dental dam protects from the spread of bacteria and risk of infection while your dentist does their work.
A dental dam is a rubber sheet of material like latex or nitrile, and it is fairly small at around 15cm by 15 cm. It is made to cover the mouth without restricting breathing through the nose or covering the face and connects to a metal clamp that is anchored to your teeth. The specific tooth being worked on will be exposed through the rubber to allow direct access to your dentist and their equipment during your procedure.
Dental dam clamps come in different sizes to affix to various teeth, and the whole apparatus keeps the rubber taut around the target area so dental instruments don’t get entangled in it while you have your procedure. A dam punch tool makes perforated holes so it comfortably fits between your teeth to isolate the working area.
Advantages of Dental Dams
Using a dental dam allows for a clean and clear surface to work from. It also keeps your tongue away from the action so it doesn’t get cut or get in the way, and any fluids like saliva or blood are underneath, where it can be effectively drained without flooding the procedure area.
You can also isolate multiple teeth, retract soft tissues like lips and cheeks, and reduce mirror fogging on the equipment. While it may take longer to install the apparatus, it creates a clear operating field and reduces the time needed for the procedure. Patients may have a harder time communicating with the doctor, which makes it easier for the dentist to concentrate on what they are doing.
Protection
A dental dam is a device that isolates the procedure area and protects the patient. There is a much lower risk of a patient swallowing tooth fragments, debris or even restorative instruments and material because of the barrier a dam provides. Sometimes, chemical materials are used in different procedures:
- Acids
- Amalgam
- Sealants
- Bleach
These and other corrosive or irritating materials are blocked from getting deeper into the mouth or potentially ingested or damaging tissue.
Common Procedures That Require Dental Dams
A dentist has lots of specialized equipment that they use to their advantage while doing dental work on you. You may have had a dental dam before and wish to avoid it, but it is necessary and sometimes obligatory for certain procedures you get.
Some dental procedures that a dental dam is used for include:
- Dental restorations
- Root canal therapy
- Dental crown
- Dental implant
- Veneer placement
- Fissure sealants
Other Uses for a Dental Dam
While dental dams were designed for use when a dentist performs procedures on their patients, these rubber dams have been widely promoted and used for other things.
A dental dam is very effective to use as a barrier for oral sex. Much the same as a condom works for a man, this flexible rubber sheet is a good size to cover a woman’s vulva to enable someone to perform oral sex without coming into direct contact with her body. You should always use a dental dam responsibly to restrict contact with bodily fluids, so make sure to take time to place it over the area that will be stimulated and throw it away once it has been used.
This is certainly not the original intention of the medical product. However, it offers a second use for it and one that serves as a protective barrier while still allowing couples to safely engage in sexual activities.
Where to Find Dental Dams
Dental dams can be purchased online or at some pharmaceutical stores in the personal health aisle, and there should be no stigma around their use. Responsible individuals prioritize their protection like dentists do when using these medical products.