And they’re not exactly wrong.

But there’s more to swapping spit than you might think, even in terms of germs.

So, if you want to know the whole messy truth about kissing, keep on reading.

kissing

The more you know, right?

Kissing is a way to assess someone on a biochemical level

Kissing usuallyfeelspretty good.

Plus, there’s actually some science that proves kissing isdoinggood for you as well.

kissing

Interestingly, it turns out that having sex is actually safer than kissing when it comes to the flu.

Of course, you may not actually be in the mood if you’re sick, but we digress.

“If you kiss, you’re going to get sick,” Gerba said.

kissing

“And we’ve found that the influenza virus can live for three days on the couch.

Additionally, kissing shows someone youlovejust how much you love them.

And though kissing is obviously pretty germy, it can also add years onto your life.

kissing

Though, it may not have a ton to do with the kiss itself.

You might as well plop a kiss on your partner’s lips every morning, germs be damned.

You might get a cold sore after kissing someone

No one enjoys the company of cold sores.

the flu from kissing

They are pretty much the definition of “small but mighty” in terms of pain and annoyance.

Additionally, cold sores can even be spreadafterthey’ve healed up.

Thus, it’s a good idea to hold off on the lip-locking for a time.

kissing

Wait, kissing can cause cavities?

It’s pretty much an undisputed fact thatno oneenjoys going to the dentist.

“Cavities are typically passed through mouth-to-mouth contact when there is an exchange of saliva.”

cold sore from kissing

Heck, your watch might even think you’re working out instead of just hooking up.

And, to be fair,kissingdoesburn calories.

But does itactuallyburn enough calories to really even count?

cavities from kissing

Well,it dependson the time and effort you put into it.

That’s some serious calorie-torching just for getting it on!

And, unfortunately, kissing is one way in which the disease can be transmitted.

kissing

And in this case, prevention really is the best medicine.

Meningococcal meningitis, for example, is a disease youreallydon’t want to mess around with.

It can cause severe brain damage and is fatal in 50% of cases if untreated.”

kissing

However, meningococcal meningitis isn’t very common in the United States.

In fact, the rate of the disease have beenon the declinesince the ’90s.

Still, it’s something to be aware of.

sick from kissing

But did you know thatkissingcan be one of those triggers?

If you aren’t careful, the person you lock lips with might end up giving you hives.

And the study confirmed that kissing is one such way this happens.

allergic reaction

If you have a food allergy, you’re going to want to be extra cautious when sharingkisses.

However, this is only the case if you’ve been kissing someone who already has it.

“Theoretically, it may be transmitted or spread by kissing,” the publication explained.

gum disease

Nevertheless, this bacteria isn’t thesolecause of gingivitis; dental health and diet play an important role.

That way, any germs thataretransmitted won’t stand a chance of causing gum disease.

Mono is also well-known for being easily transmitted through kissing.

kissing

After all, there’s a reason people tend to call it “the kissing disease.”

Who knew something so horrifying could be lurking in that hot and steamy kiss?

There are scientific reasonswhykissing feels so great.

couple kissing

And it has a whole lot to do with hormones.

Then there’s also the feel-good chemicals released during kissing.

The more smooching, the higher the relationship satisfaction.