Kisses from time immemorial have been a special part of a physical relationship. They have been synonymous to romance as well as physical intimacy and are somewhat a common form of expression of love. We don’t mean to dishearten you nor do we mean to demean the beauty of a kiss. But did you know that a kiss makes you susceptible to several diseases? We felt it was our duty to let you know in this article about the diseases that you can catch from a kiss. While we agree that a kiss is an irreplaceable expression of love, you need the awareness of these diseases that spread through saliva.
 The beneficial part
While much of our article we will be telling you about the diseases that you can catch, let us also tell you about a positive that comes out of kissing. This benefit is specially reaped by the long term couples. While an intimate kiss for about ten seconds take place, about 80 million bacteria are transferred from one mouth to another. This helps both have a wide array of bacteria in their mouths which help them to stay clear of several infections in general. However all is not good about it and in the following section we will tell you about the diseases you risk every time you kiss.
Some of the diseases that you can catch from a kiss
- Mononucleosis:
This is commonly referred to as the kissing disease and is caused by the EBV virus. This results in somewhat flu like symptoms including soreness in the throat, swollen lymph glands, fever, fatigue etc. The people at the highest of risks from this disease are in the age group of 15-30 and if infected this infection stays for about a month or two before being cured. There is no formal treatment for this disease but some common practices like over the counter medication, sufficient rest and staying hydrated helps the healing process. - Gum disease: Open mouth kissing makes you susceptible to the gum disease. Basically a lot of bacteria mucous and other particles stay lodged in our mouths. While a clean hygiene and regular brushing and flossing helps stay clear of most of these, the absence of such practices result in the gum disease. The direct disease is not transmitted during a kiss but the bacteria which cause it can be transmitted. Maintain a good oral hygiene to formation of plaque and to stay clear of this disease.
- Herpes:
Can you get STD from a kiss? The answer sadly is yes and herpes is one of those diseases that you can catch from a kiss. Direct contact between a broken skin and infected area leads to its formation which results in cold sores around the mouth. The disease is so very common that estimates suggest that more than 50% of the US population has oral herpes without visible symptoms. If affected once this stays with you for life and what’s more in some cases it also leads to genital herpes. When the outbreak does occur, the sores heal themselves soon and other symptoms stay put for about 8-10 days. - Meningitis: This is among the more dangerous diseases that you can catch from a kiss. Viral meningitis can be transmitted by a kiss and while it is not as deadly as the bacterial form of meningitis, it still packs a punch. From vomiting to a stiff neck and fever this disease makes you suffer enough once it affects you. The worst part about this disease is that there is no medication as such and you have to bank on your immunity system to pull you through.
- Polio:
This is one of the rarest of diseases that spread through saliva but potentially the most dangerous. You need not worry too much about this disease though as most of the world has eradicated this disease and has vaccination processes for this. Only some parts of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Africa report some cases. This disease spreads easy with oral contact and reaches the intestine which then leads to paralysis and a wrecked nervous system. - Mumps: This infection affects the salivary glands which results in the swelling of them. Some of the airborne droplets from the nose and throat cause this to spread and although rarely seen nowadays it is still a reality. Loss of appetite, fever, headache and muscle cramps are the troubles associated with this disease and the medication available mainly targets these symptoms to slowly get you cured.
- Influenza:
This is probably the commonest among the diseases that you can catch from a kiss as the microbes responsible are easily transmitted orally. With symptoms like the sore throat, fatigue and high fever people are down with this for days. Usually the immunity system comes to the rescue and help people recover from this disease and there are also some over the counter drugs. Next time your partner has the flu or influenza symptoms, politely abstain from kissing. - Rubella: If you are wondering can you get STD from kissing, well you can but there are bigger problems you need to address like this very prevalent disease. The virus of this disease can be easily transmitted orally and kissing is thus just a perfect medium for transfer of this. The symptoms of this disease are high fever accompanied by rashes. Usually these are healed in two to three days. There is also a rubella vaccine that helps avoid this disease. You have good reason to go and get vaccinated as much of Europe and Asia sees instances of this disease.
Final words
Don’t be discouraged by this article. The world won’t stop kissing and neither should you. Just ensure that you know your partner well enough to be sure that he or she is not infected with a disease that can be transmitted through open mouth kissing. Now that you know about the diseases that you can catch from a kiss, be sure that your kiss is not only romantic but also safe.
