Be Careful: Kissing Can Cause Stomach Ulcers: Five Health Risks Behind Passionate Kisses
Don't think that trouble with infections can only happen after improper sexual intercourse. Many research reports now show that modern passionate kissing can actually cause significant harm to your health.
A female graduate student at a French medical school even pointed out in her thesis that a typical French kiss can lead to swallowing 250 bacteria at once. So, what problems can a single kiss cause? In just 45 seconds of passionate kissing, besides burning 12 calories, what other chain reactions affect your health?
1. Periodontal Problems
The mouth is the place in the human body where bacteria breed the most. Although most bacteria are killed by stomach acid, many that escape can still cause health concerns.
During passionate kissing, that state of being lost in the moment can often make people lose their senses for a moment. In such situations, the most common thing that happens is accidentally biting or sucking on the other person's mouth. Xie Yinghua points out that this can lead to more than just exchanging saliva; it can lead to a mix of blood and water. Especially when you have a wound in your mouth, it can easily cause periodontal diseases and gum inflammation. Therefore, it is recommended to reduce intimate contact with others when you have a wound in your mouth.
2. Eardrum Rupture
Even if you're not kissing the ears, kissing too passionately and intensely can create an imbalance in eardrum pressure. Under fluctuating pressure, this can lead to cracks or even a ruptured eardrum.
Although this type of traumatic eardrum rupture can cause a loss of about 20 to 30 decibels of hearing, it can heal on its own with medical treatment. However, it is still advisable to control your emotions a bit during French kissing and avoid covering the other person's ears with your hands during the kiss, giving each other some breathing space.
3. Fatal Allergies
Is it really that exaggerated? It's just kissing, how could you end up in the emergency room the next moment? It's because the other person ate something you're allergic to beforehand.
Because when you eat, some food residue is often left in your mouth. Without cleaning your mouth, it takes more than 8 hours for these residues to be completely broken down. Therefore, if you've just eaten, it's best to brush your teeth or rinse your mouth before kissing, or opt for kissing on the cheek instead.
Dr. Robert Wood from the Johns Hopkins Medical Center further advises that if you experience difficulty breathing or physical discomfort during or after kissing, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible, even if you have never had such a situation before.
4. Stomach Ulcers
Don't think it's just because you're too excited and nervous that your stomach is starting to ache. In fact, it's the bacteria from the kiss that are causing the trouble.
Because the dirt trapped between the teeth contains large amounts of bacteria such as *Helicobacter pylori* and spirochetes. When these bacteria enter the body with saliva, they secrete toxins that damage the mucous membranes of the intestinal and stomach walls, leading to disease. Although generally, people with bacteria in their dental plaque are often those whose own health is already a concern, brushing before kissing, rinsing afterward, and not swallowing large amounts of the other person's saliva are all ways to protect yourself after kissing.
5. Herpes Virus
Painful and itchy little blisters have inexplicably appeared on the corners of your mouth, and squeezing them only makes them multiply. That's right, you've caught herpes from kissing.
Generally, herpes simplex is more common in children with weaker immune systems. This condition of small blisters and mouth ulcers can be cured within a week of treatment. However, these stubborn herpes viruses can still remain latent in the body, waiting for your resistance to weaken before they flare up again.
Dr. Anna Wald from the University of Washington stated that if you notice small blisters or ulcers on your partner's mouth, do not kiss them. Even after they have recovered, they can still transmit the herpes virus to you, although the amount of virus they can spread will be significantly reduced.