It’s no surprise that kissing is an important part of relationships.
In fact, one study showed that more than half of men and women have found themselves less
attracted to a potential partner after a bad first kiss.
That's a lot of pressure during the early days of courtship!
"So when my date takes me home and kisses me goodnight, if I don’t hear the philharmonic
in my head, I dump him."
Whether you refer to it as smooching, snogging, tonsil hockey, or making out, here are some
crazy facts about kissing you probably never knew.
The origins of kissing
The act of kissing evolved from sniffing, according to Sheril Kirshenbaum, author of
The Science of Kissing.
Centuries ago, people commonly used smell to learn about a person’s social status,
health, and even mood.
Kirshenbaum explained to The Huffington Post:
"There were a lot of sniff greetings.
They would brush the nose across the face, because there are scent glands on our faces,
and over time the brush of the face became a brush of the lips, and the social greeting
was born that way."
Kissing and your health
According to Dr. Sivan Finkel, kissing stimulates our salivary glands, which reduces acids in
our mouths.
But cavity-causing bacteria can also be transferred when you kiss, so beware of locking lips with
someone who doesn’t brush regularly.
Bad breath is your first clue!
But the effects of kissing on your health don't stop at your mouth.
Kissing also reduces cortisol, a hormone linked to weight-gain, high blood pressure, and high
cholesterol.
It even gives a healthy boost to your immune system.
Dr. Yael Varnado explained how that works while talking to Match.com: "Swapping spit
means swapping germs, and that is nature's natural form of vaccination."
Just make sure your partner isn't already sick before you pucker up.
Though diet and exercise are the best ways to get healthy, a little kissing won’t hurt
either — it’s just what the doctor ordered!
Kissing makes you feel good
The main health benefit of kissing is the release of oxytocin and dopamine, according
to licensed clinical social worker Kaity Rodriguez, who told The List:
"Oxytocin is the bonding hormone that is also released when mothers nurse their babies,
during sex, and even cuddling.
It makes you feel closer [and] more intimately attached to the individual."
Dopamine, on the other hand, is the "feel-good hormone," which helps you experience pleasure.
Dopamine is responsible for regulating mood, sleep, and cognition, while also helping with
decision-making and creativity.
So basically, a little lip locking can make your whole day better.
Kissing uses a lot of muscles
Finally, a fun way to workout!
Kissing can burn up to 26 calories per minute, and involves more than 30 facial muscles and
112 postural muscles, according to the American Journal of Medicine blog.
It’s also a good way to skip the Botox, since kissing can help smooth lines and wrinkles,
tighten muscles in your neck and jaw, and boost circulation to your face, which can
help you achieve that sought-after glow.
It's certainly a good excuse to engage in regular make-out sessions, even as we age.
"You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how."
The Guinness World Record for kissing
Think back to the beginning of a relationship, when the butterflies of new attraction meant
you could kiss for hours without taking a break.
But even the longest of make-out sessions in early courtship can't compare to the Guinness
World Record for longest continuous kiss, set during a 2013 competition in Thailand.
After 58 hours, 35 minutes, and 58 seconds, Ekkachai and Laksana Tiranarat were the last
couple standing, winning more than $9,000 in cash and prizes.
"Lip balm?"
Your kissing style develops before you're even born
When you kiss a partner, do you tilt your head to the left or right?
As it turns out, you may not be making that decision consciously.
German researcher Onur Güntürkün observed more than 100 kissing couples in various locations
in the United States, Germany, and Turkey.
He noted that two-thirds of couples tilted their heads to the right while smooching,
a preference that likely originates in the womb and during the first six months after
birth.
Something to think about the next time you pucker up!
Kissing can help you find 'the one'
Science says locking lips can let us know when we've found someone suitable for a long-term
relationship.
Biological anthropologist Helen Fisher says people are drawn to others with certain biological
profiles, and kissing might be one way to find the right match — thanks to the whole
swapping spit factor.
As unsexy as it sounds, the hormones present in spit can subconsciously tell us whether
someone is a good mate.
Kissing in public could get you arrested
Though it's highly doubtful kissing will result in jail time in the United States, some older
laws regarding the act of affection remain on the books in various states and cities.
For example, men with mustaches in Iowa can't legally kiss women in public.
In Hartford, Connecticut, men dare not kiss their wives on Sundays.
And in Colorado, sleeping women are off-limits when it comes to kissing.
If we're being honest, that last one makes sense — no one should kiss another person
without their permission.
Sorry, Sleeping Beauty.
Fear of kissing
Don't laugh: The fear of kissing is a real thing.
Officially known as philemaphobia, the fear of kissing is most common with inexperienced
kissers who are afraid of making a mistake.
It can also be caused by various other factors, including a fear of germs, a fear of bodily
odors, a fear of touch itself, or a fear of intimacy.
Since severe philemaphobia can affect one's overall well-being and ability to pursue romantic
relationships, the condition may require treatment.
Pucker up, buttercup
There's one thing about kissing science has yet to crack — and that's how to be good
at it.
While magazines may claim to have the answers, there's really only two surefire ways to make
sure you're kissing your partner in a way that brings them to their knees: one, ask
them what they want.
And two, practice makes perfect.
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