14 Things The Dirty Truth About kissing

You have a high risk of developing oral herpes, often known as herpes simplex virus type 1 or HSV-1, even if you never kiss someone who has a visible cold sore. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, 90 percent of Americans will have been exposed to the virus by the time they are 50 years old, and between 50 and 80 percent of American adults suffer from oral herpes.

“Since the virus usually affects the area around the mouth and lips, kissing is one of the most common ways it is spread,” dermatologist Joshua Zeichner informed Abreva. Skin-to-skin contact with an infected person is all that is required for transmission. It can be contracted by coming into touch with saliva, cold sores, or other oral surfaces.

According to Cedars-Sinai, cold sores initially manifest as a burning, stinging, or tingling sensation on your upper or lower lip. After that, a blister packed with fluid will form and progressively enlarge until it ruptures, which might take up to three weeks! HSV-1 has no known cure, and once it enters your body, it remains there forever. It typically flares up after excessive sun exposure, fevers, severe stress, or menstruation (via Saint Luke’s).

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6. This infectious disease can be contracted through kissing.

You might be wondering if kissing is safe in a time when many people are worried about the spread of COVID-19. According to the Mayo Clinic, kissing exposes you to respiratory droplets, which are commonly thought of as being released after a cough or sneeze. As a result, kissing can spread the coronavirus. Kissing, however, might not make you more susceptible to the flu or the ordinary cold.

The director of Cardiff University’s Common Cold Center, Professor Ron Eccles, told HuffPost that kissing won’t spread the common cold virus unless you have a severe cough and some respiratory mucus has gotten into your saliva.

In a similar vein, European doctors who reviewed viruses that are transferred by kissing came to the conclusion that “it is unlikely that kissing could constitute a route for transmission” for the influenza virus. Keeping your hands clean is crucial for both colds and the flu, according to doctors. “Your fingers can easily become contaminated with viruses by holding hands with someone who has coughed or sneezed into their hands, or by touching door handles in public places,” Eccles stated.

7. Kissing can raise your risk of gum disease and cavities.

Gum disease and cavities can result from even the most passionate kiss. Emanuel Layliev, a dentist, told Self that cavitations are brought on by bacteria that adhere to teeth, feed on food particles, and create acid that erodes teeth. He added that whenever there is a salivary exchange, these common germs might be transferred from one mouth to another.

In a similar vein, the American Academy of Periodontology has cautioned that kissing can also transfer diseases like gingivitis, or gum disease. According to The New York Times, experts have discovered that kissing is not only a possibility but also a frequent way for the bacteria in the mouth to spread, causing the inflammation that results in both illnesses.

Open-mouth kissing can put you at risk, but a quick peck on the lips won’t. According to Dr. Layliev, the greatest defense is to constantly rinse your mouth with an antiseptic after a passionate kiss and to brush and floss frequently to get rid of bacteria before they have a chance to do serious harm.

8. It’s highly likely that you will contract the kissing illness.

There is a reason why mononucleosis (or mono) is referred to as “the kissing disease.” Saliva is the main method that the virus is spread, though there are other ways as well, such as sharing glasses or utensils or coming into contact with blood, semen, or contaminated nasal fluids. Because of this, kissing is a simple way to catch it. To get infected, all you have to do is come into touch with a small amount of infected saliva.

According to an ABC News story, Dr. Todd Wills, an assistant professor of infectious diseases and international medicine at the University of South Florida, stated that the disease is extremely easy to spread, so much so that over 95 percent of Americans will get mono at some point in their lives. Although the virus primarily affects youngsters, 50% of children contract it before the age of five.

Mono can strike anyone of any age, and like chicken pox, once the virus enters your body, it stays there forever. Fatigue, sore throat, fever, enlarged tonsils, enlarged neck and armpit lymph nodes, headaches or rash, and severe exhaustion that might persist for several months are all signs of mono (via The Mayo Clinic).