By Smile Makers for SheSpot

The clitoris is an important part of any vulva owner’s sex life and deserves to be celebrated. We want to make sure that everybody understands the joy of the clitoris. Knowing where your or your partner’s clitoris is and how it works can lead to more and better sexual pleasure.

A majority of people with vulvas need clitoral stimulation to reach orgasm, and very few can climax through penetration alone. So, why is it that we grow up learning more about the vagina than the clitoris?

Well, truth be told, the world is catching up with its clitoral education.It wasn’t until the late 90s that a superstar urologist, Helen O’Connell, learned the real size of the clitoris. And it took until 2022 for the actual number of nerve endings in a human clitoris to be discovered. However, we argue all it takes is to look at the very meaning of the word clitoris to understand its significance - etymologically deriving from the Greek word for key, the key to pleasure!

So, pleasure-seeker, what do you need to know about the clitoris?

3 things to know about the clitoris.

There’s more than meets the eye.

The clitoris is often described as a little button between the labia above the vaginal entrance. However, the visible button is only the clitoral glans and its hood, which can be more or less prominent from one vulva to the other. The clitoral structure is actually shaped like a wishbone, and three-quarters of it is internal, wrapping around the vaginal canal.

The clitoris gets erect.

The clitoral structure has erectile tissues meaning that it engorges with blood upon arousal. The external and internal parts swell and become puffier when stimulated. This can increase the sensitivity of the genital areas, such as the labia and vaginal wall, making vulval or penetrative touch more satisfying.

There are a lot of nerve endings.

For a very long time, we thought that the clitoris had 8000 nerve endings, but it turns out that was a study on a cow - yep. In 2022, new research on the human clitoris was published, announcing that there are 10,000 clitoral nerve endings, all interacting with 15,000 more. That’s a lot of pleasure potential. For context, the penis (which is homologically comparable to the clitoris) has only 4000 nerve endings.

 Clitoris diagram by Smile Makers, from our free sex education course Vulva Talks.

The role of clitoral stimulation.

The clitoris is the only human organ that’s sole purpose is pleasure.

For example, the penis has multiple purposes other than pleasure, including urinating and reproducing. While the clitoris on the other hand has no role in the reproductive system, nor does it have a urethra running through it. The only known function the clitoris has is to provide pleasure, which is pretty clitastic.

The clitoris plays a large role in how people with vulvas experience orgasms. It’s super common to need additional clitoral stimulation to reach orgasm during partnered sex and is one of the easiest ways to orgasm during masturbation. Even when we experience vaginal orgasms, it is often because the internal parts of the clitoris have been stimulated via the G-spot. So really, every orgasm could be a clitoral orgasm.

How to stimulate the clit with sex toys.

At Smile Makers, we take the powerhouse of pleasure very seriously. And for that reason, we take clit vibrators very seriously too. Here’s a little guide to help you navigate the types of clitoral stimulation available.

Lipstick vibrators.

The perfect upgrade from finger masturbation, these vibrators are often portable to the point where they are camouflaged as lipsticks. They provide focused stimulation of the clitoral glans. For vulva owners who enjoy direct contact, they are a great bedroom accessory and more often than not, a very efficient one at delivering clitoral orgasms. The Whisperer lipstick vibrator is super soft and silent, with a curved head designed to embrace the glans gently.

Clit suction toys.

A clit sucking motion is a go-to technique for many vulva owners that have sensitive clitorises. Air pulsation is a more gentle, indirect way to stimulate the area, and toys like clit suckers have mouths that sit around the glans rather than on top. Instead of creating friction, a sucking motion pulsates air on and around the clit. The Poet’s clit-oral technique includes three interchangeable mouths to find the best fit and sensation every time.

Rabbit vibrators.

Remember that the clitoris can also be stimulated via the vaginal walls, aim for the G-zone for optimum feels. Internal stimulation of the clit is all about pressure as opposed to friction, sustained penetration versus fast thrusting. Double-up techniques with a vibe that embraces the clitoris from all angles, inside and out. The Artist rabbit vibrator provides a very fulfilling sensation with equal power in both vibrator heads.

Phew, so much big clit energy! Use this clitoral knowledge to keep discovering yourself, over and over again… with the help of a Smile Makers vibrator.