Shocking And Strange Facts About Kissing

 

Kissing is something that almost all of us have done, some more often than others. Yet there are many things about this action that you may not know. For example, where did kissing even come from? Why do we do it so often? When we say that “your love is my drug,” is there actually some truth behind it? Scientists have been fascinated by the act of kissing for ages, and they have discovered some pretty interesting findings about it. Whether kissing is one of your favorite forms of affection, or you consider yourself a philemaphobe, these facts will intrigue and even excite you.

For example, did you know that swapping saliva is good for you? There are loads of health benefits that medical researchers have found to be correlated with kissing. From burning calories, to firming up your face, to cleaning your teeth, kissing is not only fun – it is very healthy! It does not matter your age, background, or ability; kissing is here to stay. Unless, of course, you live in one of the countries where kissing is illegal and punishable by the law. How tragic!

We hope you enjoy these factoids about kissing. Once you finish reading our list of 12 weird facts you didn’t know about kissing, grab a partner and get busy!

There Is A Science About Kissing

Some people are actually so interested in kissing that they make a career out of it. The science itself is called philematology.

Dramatic Movie Kisses Were Almost Banned

Cinema would not be the same without the dramatic and romantic makeout scenes. However, the Hays Code in 1930 actually prevented actors from kissing in a horizontal position on the big screen, and kisses could not last longer than 3 seconds.

Kissing Was Once Banned

In 1439, King Henry VI actually banned kissing from his kingdom, as a way to prevent the spread of diseases.

The World’s Longest Kiss

 

For some people, kissing is about more than just romance – it’s about record breaking. Ekkachai and Laksana Tiranarat from Thailand have the world’s longest recorded kiss, which shockingly lasted over 58 hours.

The History Behind XOXO

People use the term XOXO fairly often, meaning hugs and kisses. However, the reason that an X represents a kiss is actually because in the Middle Ages, illiterate people signed their letters with an X and then sealed it with a kiss.

People use the term XOXO fairly often, meaning hugs and kisses. However, the reason that an X represents a kiss is actually because in the Middle Ages, illiterate people signed their letters with an X and then sealed it with a kiss.

Kissing Is A Good Workout

Most people have heard that kissing actually takes quite a few muscles, but to be exact, it uses 146 muscles to kiss. 34 facial muscles, as well as 112 postural muscles.

Passionate Kisses Are Quite Rare

Although movies would have us believe otherwise, passionate kisses are actually not very frequent in most relationships. 56% of people worldwide say they rarely ever kiss passionately. 

Your Kissing Style Originates In The Womb

kissing style is actually developed before you are even born. Researchers have discovered that the reason for this is that in the womb our heads naturally tilt either to the left or the right, and that tendency seems to continue even into adult life.

Kissing Takes Up Time

Apparently, the average person spends about two weeks of their lives just kissing. That’s 20,160 minutes!

Kissing Countries

Crazy as it may sound in 2014, there are still many countries where public affection is illegal. In Mexico, university professor Manuel Berumen was arrested for kissing his wife in public. In some countries, though, the punishments are extremely brutal. In 2010, a Saudi Arabian man was arrested for hugging and kissing a woman. He was found guilty and sentenced to three sets of 30 lashes each, plus four months in prison.

Many Animals Other Than Humans Kiss

Even though it might not be exactly how we do it, several other animals engage in affectionate behavior that’s remarkably similar to our kissing. Chimpanzees oftentimes demonstrate kiss-like behavior after a fight as a way to “kiss and make up” so to speak. Studies have shown that this type of behavior isn’t just confined to chimpanzees—many other primates “kiss” in their own way.

Kissing Makes You Live Longer

Studies have actually shown that men who kiss their wives in the morning actually live about 5 years longer than men who don’t.