You Don't Know These Facts About Kissing, But They Could Alter Life Today!

By Teresa Thomerson in Facts On 5th September 2016

Kissing is something we all do, yet how much do we really know about it? It's a bit overlooked when it comes down to facts and information. For example, how many knew that it is possible for a woman to reach an orgasm through kissing. Well, that's because there are actually more nerves in the lips than in her happy button!

#1 Kissing Saves Lives.

A famous study once determined that men who get a peck on the cheek from their wives before heading out to work lived five years longer than their kissless counterparts. It doesn't just stop there, kissing could have some health benefits. Scientists say that the act of kissing can help you build up a stronger immunity to germs. Dentists will certainly support the affectionate gesture because kissing helps to clean your teeth. By swapping saliva, you wash out bacteria in your mouth. Of course, kissing makes you feel warm and cuddly inside, and may lower blood pressure. Scientists even go so far as to say kissing can help with weight loss! If you really get into make-out mode, you could burn up to two calories per minute.

#2 Looking For The One? It's All In The Kiss.

According to biological anthropologist Helen Fisher, we tend to prefer people with particular biological profiles. Trading saliva is one way to figure out if someone is a good fit. Couples that are really good at making out together tend to have healthier relationships, according to Sheril Kirshenbaum's The Science of Kissing. So if you can't make out without having an argument, well ... that should tell you something.

#3 French Kissing Uses 34 Face Muscles.

While a quick kiss only uses two face muscles, a deep, passionate kiss uses all 34 of the muscles in your face. These muscles flex and compress, and in turn, give you tighter, firmer skin.

#4 Our Love Of Kissing Comes From.....?

No one knows exactly WHY we kiss. Some theorize that our affinity for kisses descends from an ancient rat. Mice and men have a surprisingly similar genetic makeup -- sharing a common ancestor that lived sometime between 75 and 125 million years ago. This creature would rub noses with a mate to sample his or her pheromones, and signal desire. Others think that mothers used to chew up their food and then spit it into their children's mouths. Historians say the first recorded mention to kissing appeared in Sumer, the first civilization. So it's been here from the beginning and it's going to stay.

#5 Kissing is Affected by Your Senses

If you are smelling something particularly pleasant, or you hear a noise that makes you happy, you may be more inclined to kiss someone. Scientists have studied the connection between the brain and the act of kissing, and their findings are very interesting. They say that when you kiss, if your senses like what they hear, taste, smell, and feel, you may want to continue kissing. So, go on and add some sound effects to your kiss; it might encourage more action! It turns out, the lips are super-sensitive because they have loads of nerve endings, more than your genitals in fact, which send signals to the brain.

#6 When You Kiss 5 Out of 12 of Your Cranial Nerves Are Engaged.

When you kiss someone for the first time, you get a spike in the neurotransmitter dopamine, making you crave more. It can literally be addicting. This is the same hormone that spikes after you take a hit of cocaine. It triggers intense yearning and desire, and can also increase a person's energy levels. Scientists have studied couples and have found that the brain releases decreased levels of dopamine as the relationship continues. This could help explain why some partners cheat on each other. Yet, another chemical, oxytocin, is released when you kiss someone important to you. Experts say that even older couples should continue to kiss and release oxytocin.

#7 It Amps The Libido!

When a couple kisses, saliva is swapped. If you get really into it, there may be some tongue action, which could help to amp up your libido. A study looked at a number of couples and found that women were more likely to have increased sexual desires after French kissing their partners. Scientists say that the male's transfer of testosterone to the female spikes her sexual desires. Also, women are more likely to want to kiss when they are ovulating or close to ovulation. This is the time when they are most capable of getting pregnant.

#8 Kissing Keeps Your Relationship Going!

Over time, kissing lowers your levels of stress hormone cortisol, making you feel all safe and secure. This actually has a bigger effect the longer and more secure you are with someone. Also, more kissing in a relationship is related to how satisfied people say they are in that relationship. It's funny because you can't use sex as a relationship gauge. It's all in that kiss.

#9 The First Kiss Is More Memorable Than Losing Your Virginity.

John Bohannon of Butler University asked 500 people about their memories of important life experiences, including their first kiss and losing their virginity. The kiss beat everything as the most detailed memory.

#10 It is Banned in Some Countries

Even in the 21st century, there are still some countries that forbid kissing in public. In fact, it could send you to jail! For example, the Arab world, which is full of mostly Muslims, finds kissing to be extremely offensive and against their customs. Kissing is reserved for being in private only. The Maori tribe in New Zealand does not outlaw kissing, but simply does not use it, opting instead to rub their noses together to show affection. In some South American tribes, as well as Somalia and islands in the South Pacific, kissing is something that is almost unheard of.