Thoughts on Gags

When most people think of bondage, something like the above image probably comes to mind: There are always some form of shackles, rope bindings, or other restraints. And there is almost always some type of gag involved.

When I first started to investigate BDSM online, I developed a fascination with the many different types of gags that are used. They look amazing, and allow an astonishing measure of control over the sub, either by restricting their ability to speak or even make any sound at all, making them drool, or keeping their mouth forcibly open. I admired them very much, but never considered getting any for one simple reason: They terrified me!!! I think this was directly related to my deep fear of not being able to breathe. I'm somewhat claustrophobic and my biggest fear is to have my breathing restricted. Therefore, anything that blocked my airway was automatically terrifying!

I kept looking at the images of all the different gags and wanting to try one. However, the thought of having someone else put something in my mouth that would reduce my ability to breathe, was just too much for me to cope with. Then one day, it finally occurred to me that I could buy one on my own and try it all by myself!!! That way I could test it out at my own pace, and remove it the second it became too much for me to handle. And maybe, with time, I would become comfortable enough to allow someone else to place a gag in my mouth. 

So I scoured the internet and decided that I wanted to start with a ball gag. Although they were particularly scary to me (they block the mouth and therefore the airway completely), they also looked amazing when in place, and I'd wanted to try one for a very long time! So I ordered my very first gag! I chose a nice bright red one, medium sized, that was held in place by two thin black leather straps that buckled behind the neck. A nice traditional (if anything in BDSM can be called "traditional" lol) choice.It looked pretty much exactly like this:

I still remember the adrenaline rush when the box arrived and I opened it! I pulled it out and just stared at the gag in awe. I couldn't believe I actually owned something so...so kinky!!! I took a deep breath and went over to the mirror to try it on. I recall feeling really weird as I opened my mouth wide and pushed the ball inside. I remained like that for a few seconds, my heart beating fast. To my surprise, I found that I could actually breathe out of the corners of my mouth: It didn't completely restrict the flow of air! This discovery allowed me to gather the courage to fumble with the straps behind my neck and fasten it. And then I just stood there, looking at the amazing gag in my mouth, the way it made my eyes widen, the way my nostrils flared slightly as I breathed in and out, and the muffled, almost inaudible sound of my moans of excitement. It was a wonderful thing, and I immediately fell in love with it!

Since that day, I have purchased several other ball gags and my original one has well worn straps and teeth marks in some places from repeated use. I have come to feel quite comfortable with having one in for an extended period of time, although I have learned the hard way that my jaw will ache afterwards, sometimes for days. And I have learned to accept having someone I trust completely put a gag on me, although it still scares me a little, especially when I am restrained and unable to remove it on my own should I wish to do so.

I have also investigated a variety of other types of gags, and not to long ago, I purchased a bit gag, and I absolutely love it!!! It looks like this:

The bit gag's purpose is quite different than that of the ball gag: Instead of blocking sounds, it actually keeps your mouth open without restricting your breathing much at all. You can't really talk with the bit in the way, but you certainly can make plenty of sounds. So moaning, whimpering and panting all sound much louder!

As my preference is to be as quiet as possible, S. greatly enjoys using this gag on me because it makes it physically impossible for me to clamp my mouth shut and remain silent. He loves the amount of noise I make while this is in! I think the fact that I also tend to drool while wearing it, which I find humiliating, makes it that much sweeter for him. And, on occasion, he has used the rings on the side of the gag to forcibly turn my head with a tug of his finger.

I have also been interested in pacifier gags for a while now. Not because I have the slightest interest in baby or age play (It does nothing whatsoever for me). But because they are an interesting variation on the ball gag, but don't stretch your mouth quite so wide or make your jaws ache, while still preventing speech and providing control. I ordered one and cannot wait for it to arrive! I'll let you know what I think when it does! S. has also expressed interest in these as he finds the shape reminiscent of having a penis forcibly pushed into your mouth, and he greatly enjoys filling all 3 of my holes at once.

The one type of gag I have not yet tried and that still scare me, are, paradoxically, the open mouthed gags. Since they don't restrict the airway at all on their own, they frighten me because they make it impossible for you to control what is placed in your mouth. The unknown factor with these make me very nervous. But I will probably try one out some day. S. has made a few comments about them so I think he'd very much enjoy having that level of control at some point (gulp!)

The other type of gag that I have not yet tried but would like to are the breathable ball gags. I didn't know they existed when I first started investigating BDSM or I almost certainly would have ordered one. They usually have holes that go through the ball and allow you to breathe through them, while maintaining the wide open mouth of a typical ball gag. I haven't decided whether I would like to try a rubber ball version like the one pictured below, or a rigid one yet.

The last type of gag is one I think I will never use: They're usually part of a hood. And hoods just scare me wayyyyy too much. I hate the black color. (If you haven't noticed yet, I love bright reds and pinks). I hate the way it dehumanizes the face of the person wearing it. I hate the way they go over both the nose and mouth. And I hate the idea of the claustrophobic feeling I'd get in one. The same goes, tenfold, for anything to do with gas masks.

So, those are my thoughts on the various types of gags that are most commonly used in BDSM. I'd love to hear from you! What types of gags have you used? What do you find most effective? Do you prefer rigid balls or squishy ones when it comes to the ball gags? Do you like a smaller ball that fits almost entirely into the sub's mouth, or a larger one that stretches their jaw and protrudes from between their parted lips? How do you decide how tight to buckle it? I'm still learning so any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated! :)