With Valentine's Day on the horizon, maybe you're planning some kind of romantic rendezvous for you and your sweetheart. If kissing is on the agenda (how dorky does that sound? This is why Joanna writes about love, not me!), read up on kissing and your health. Good or bad for you? Take a guess...
NYC Celebrity dentist, Dr. Jeff Golub-Evans, Dr. Emanuel Layliev of the New York Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, and Dr. Mickey Bernstein, President of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, have some mixed reviews on kissing (speaking of oral health, read about my teeth-whitening experience from hell):
Surprise, kissing is good for your teeth: "Lucky for you, locking lips helps maintain a healthy smile by increasing saliva production," says Golub-Evans. "Saliva acts as a natural lubricant, slipping under plaque and washing it away." Weirdly cool, I know. (P.S. It also burns calories, says Layliev. 12 calories every five seconds, in fact. So, get kissing!)
But, you could catch a--wait for this--cavity! Seriously, the experts say that they're contagious--just like a cold. "Yes, natural causes of cavities include bacteria, sugar, and not brushing, but you can increase risk of cavities by kissing someone who has no
history of cavities based on the level of bacteria in their saliva," explains explains Golub-Evans. "You can also build up immunities to cavities by kissing someone who is more cavity-prone."
There you have it--the good and bad of kissing. I'm going to do some kissing this weekend anyway! (Check out my test run of cranberry dental floss.)
Who are you smooching on Valentine's day?
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