Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) can be passed on through any type of sex including vaginal sex, anal sex, oral sex, rimming and mutual masturbation/fingering. Having regular STI check-ups and any treatment if needed can help you look after your own and your sexual partners' health and well-being.
One of the best ways of preventing the transmission of STIs (along with unintended pregnancies) is the effective use of condoms. Find out more about male and female condoms and how to use them.
Another method of preventing STI transmission is in using dental dams (small, thin, square pieces of latex) that are used for oral-vaginal or oral-anal sex. Originally used by dentists, dental dams are much like a latex condom but are used to prevent STIs by acting as a protective barrier between your mouth and the vagina or anus.
How to Use a Dental Dam
Step 1
- Carefully remove the dam from the packaging making sure that you do not damage the dam.
- Inspect the dam for any holes or tears.
- Wet the vagina or anal area with a water-based lubricant (do not use any oil-based lubricants such as Vaseline, petroleum jelly, or baby oil as oil-based lubricants can break down the material (latex) of the dental dam, causing it to leak or tear).
- Position and hold the dental dam over the vulva or anus during oral sex. Make sure the dam stays in place.
- Do not lick the side of the dam which has been in contact with the vaginal or anal area.
- Use a new dental dam for each different sexual activity just like you would with a condom, e.g., if you switch back and forth from oral-anal (analingus) to oral-vaginal (cunnilingus), or vice versa.
- Never use a dam more than once.
- Wrap the used dam in a tissue and place it in the bin.
Video Tutorial
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) can be passed on through any type of sex including vaginal sex, anal sex, oral sex, rimming and mutual masturbation/fingering. Having regular STI check-ups and any treatment if needed can help you look after your own and your sexual partners' health and well-being.
Comparison of Barrier Methods
| Barrier Method | Effectiveness | Availability | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| External Condoms | Very effective at preventing HIV and gonorrhea | Widely available at pharmacies, clinics, online | Can be low-cost or free at some locations |
| Internal Condoms | Reduce the risk of STI transmission | Less widely available than external condoms | May be purchased at pharmacies, online, or prescribed |
| Dental Dams | Good way to reduce the risk of STIs during oral sex | Can be found at pharmacies, clinics, online | Varies in cost, may be free at some locations |
If a person is or will be sexually active, it's important they try to use protection each and every time. This could be a condom or dental dam.
If a person is or will be sexually active, it's important they try to use protection each and every time. This could be a condom or dental dam.
Vaccines for HPV and preventative medications for HIV are available to help reduce the risk. Open communication with a partner is key to reducing risk too. Asking questions like, “Are you willing to use protection? Have you been tested before?” are great ways to start this conversation.
Getting tested yearly or before every new sexual partner and getting treatment is important. Treatment for STIs will not only provide relief from symptoms, if they are present, but will also lower the chance of passing the infection to a partner. Let’s talk more about each prevention option.
External Condoms
External condoms cover the penis and collect semen. They can be used for vaginal sex (penis in vagina), anal sex (penis in anus), and oral sex (penis in mouth). Condoms are very effective at preventing HIV and gonorrhea – fewer than 10 out of every 100 people will pass on those infections over a year when using condoms. The effectiveness varies for other infections but it is always true that using a condom lowers the risk of passing on or getting an STI compared to not using a condom.
Using lubricant (or “lube”) with a condom can help decrease friction which can feel better and makes condoms safer to use because they are less likely to break. It’s important to know only water-based lubricants are safe to use with condoms. Oil-based lubricants like oils, lotions, and Vaseline should never be used with condoms because they can break down the condom material.
A person can legally buy condoms at any age and they are sold at pharmacies, gas stations, corner stores, grocery stores, and online. Health departments, doctor’s offices, and clinics like Planned Parenthood are also good places to get condoms and they are often free at these locations.
There are several different types of condoms and they come in different sizes, colors, and textures so it’s important for people who use condoms to find ones that feel good for them and their partner.
Although external condoms are usually made of latex, some are made from other materials like polyurethane which can be a great option for people who are allergic to latex. Some condoms are made of lambskin. Lambskin condoms only prevent pregnancy and do NOT protect against STIs because the pores in the lambskin are large enough to let through viruses and bacteria. Make sure to watch the condom demonstration at the end of this course to see how to correctly use a condom.
Internal Condoms
An internal condom is placed inside the vagina or anus and is made from a soft plastic called nitrile. The inner ring is inserted into the body and the outer ring covers the vulva or anal area. It can be used for penis in vagina and penis in anus sexual activity.
Internal condoms reduce the risk of STI transmission but they must be used correctly every time a person has sex. Although internal condoms are a bit harder to find, they can be purchased at pharmacies, online, or can be prescribed by a healthcare provider. Health departments, doctor’s offices, and clinics like Planned Parenthood sometimes also provide internal condoms and they are often free at these locations.
Dental Dams
Dental dams are latex or polyurethane sheets used between the mouth and vulva or mouth and anus during oral sex. They usually come flavored and scented and are a good way to reduce the risk of an STI.
Open and Honest Communication
Open and honest communication helps reduce the risk of STIs. Here are some questions a person could ask a partner:
- Do you currently have other sexual partners?
- When were you last tested?
- How often do you use protection, like condoms, when you have sex?
Asking questions like these before having sex is better than in the moment. It allows a person to think with a clear head and prepare in advance. It also gives both partners time to get tested, buy condoms, and do other things to stay safe. It's important to remember that it's not just a person's own health on the line but that of their partner's as well.
Barrier Methods
When used correctly and consistently, condoms offer one of the most effective methods of protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. Female condoms are effective and safe, but are not as widely used by national programs as male condoms.
Counseling and Behavioral Approaches
Counseling and behavioral interventions offer primary prevention against STIs (including HIV), as well as unintended pregnancies. These include:
- Comprehensive sexuality education
- STI and HIV pre-test information and post-test counseling
- Safer sex/risk-reduction counseling
- Condom promotion
- Evidence-based behavioral interventions with a focus on key populations: sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people, persons in prisons, and people who inject drugs
- Education and counseling tailored to the needs of adolescents
In addition, counseling can improve people’s ability to recognize the symptoms of STIs and increase the likelihood that they will seek care and encourage a sexual partner to do so. Unfortunately, lack of public awareness, lack of training among health workers, and long-standing, widespread stigma around STIs remain barriers to greater and more effective use of these interventions.
Despite considerable efforts to identify simple interventions to reduce risky sexual behaviors, behavior change remains a complex challenge. Research has demonstrated the need to focus on carefully defined populations, to consult extensively with the target population identified, and to involve them in the design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions.
Vaccines and Other Biomedical Interventions
Safe and highly effective vaccines are available for 2 STIs: hepatitis B virus and HPV. These vaccines represent major advances in STI prevention.
Research to develop vaccines against herpes simplex virus and HIV is advanced. Studies suggest that vaccines against serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis (MenB) could provide some protection against gonorrhea. Randomized controlled trials with MenB vaccines to prevent gonorrhea are underway, and several other gonococcal vaccine candidates are in preclinical development. Research studies into vaccines for chlamydia, syphilis, and trichomoniasis are in earlier stages of development.
Other biomedical interventions to prevent some STIs include voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) and microbicides.
- VMMC reduces the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection in men by approximately 60% and provides some protection against other STIs, such as herpes and HPV.
- Tenofovir gel, when used as a vaginal microbicide, has had mixed results in terms of its ability to prevent HIV acquisition. It has shown some effectiveness in preventing herpes simplex virus type 2.
Other Interventions to Prevent STIs
- Reduction in the number of sexual partners
- Abstinence from oral, vaginal, or anal sex
- Testing and treating STIs also helps to prevent transmission.