tampon

Everyday

A small soft roll of cotton or similar material put inside the vagina to soak up blood during a period (menstruation). tree →

In the lessons

In health and growing-up (puberty) lessons tampons, pads and period pants are explained as ways to manage periods. In everyday life they are bought in packs at shops or found in school bathrooms. Safety: change it every few hours to avoid a rare but serious illness (toxic shock syndrome).

Examples

• Tampons and pads are kept in the school nurse's room. tree →
• The box says to change a tampon every four to eight hours. tree →
• Some girls use pads and some use tampons. tree →
• The shop sells tampons in different sizes. tree →
• Free tampons are given out in some schools. tree →
• Read the leaflet inside the tampon box. tree →

Note

A normal, polite health word, not rude. Plural: tampons. In medicine a tampon can also be a pad used to stop bleeding elsewhere. Periods are a healthy part of growing up.