Q:
I love to kiss, but my new girlfriend isn’t into it—she says it spreads germs (she’s a total germaphobe). Are there any health benefits to kissing I can cite to convince her it’s good for her?
A:
Your girlfriend is right about the germ exchange. According to one study, more than 40,000 parasites and 250 types of bacteria are exchanged during a typical French kiss. However, some research shows that our saliva actually kills most of these bacteria and that sharing these germs boosts your internal defense system by exposing it to a limited number of these pathogens. But you can assure her that there are numerous other health benefits to kissing:
– Kissing has been shown to reduce allergic skin responses, improving eczema and other skin conditions.
– The extra saliva produced during passionate kissing washes bacteria off your teeth, which can help break down oral plaque.
– Passionate kissing has been shown to burn about two calories a minute, double your resting metabolic rate.
– Skin-to-skin contact stimulates the production of the hormone oxytocin, which reduces the sensation of fear.
– Kissing exercises facial muscles, which can help her maintain a youthful countenance.
– Kissing is often called sensual meditation because it slows down our brain waves, putting us in a more relaxed state of mind.
Victoria Zdrok's combination of beauty and intelligence has earned her the label as "sexpert" in many media outlets. She writes a monthly column on love, sex, and dating for Penthouse Magazine entitled "Ask Dr. Z," and a column on sexuality and the law for Penthouse Forum. She is a frequent contributor to several publications and has her own SIRIUS Satellite Radio specialty show, The Sex Connection, on Howard 101. You can find out more about Dr. Z at www.sexysexpert.com
