Can Kissing Cause Cavities?

When it comes to cavities, it is not only sugary foods or drinks, but also body fluids that may contribute to it. This may make you wonder if cavities are contagious and if you can get cavities from kissing someone.

Here’s how your mouth can become home to someone else’s bacteria and give you cavities.

bacteria in your mouth

Do you know that your mouth is home to over 700 types of bacteria and other organisms? These microorganisms can be present in your saliva as well as on the teeth, tongue, cheeks, and other oral surfaces. A studies indicates that many of the bacteria that end up in your saliva originate from your tongue in particular.

How Kissing Can Give You Cavities?

Cavities are not directly caused by kissing, rather it exposes your mouth to many harmful bacteria that cause it. The germs that may have initially produced the cavity rather than the cavity itself, however, may be the issue.

Also read: Protect your teeth from cavities to protect your heart

There are millions of different species of bacteria unique to each of our mouths. Some of these microbes are beneficial to oral health. Others, like Porphyromonas gingivalis and Streptococcus mutans, aren’t so good and are outright regarded as bad, cavity-causing bacteria. So, while you kiss someone, there is always a chance that these bacteria get exchanged and result in cavities. Studies have shown that a person can develop cavities on a tooth through kissing. This is especially in cases when one suffers from poor oral health issues.

Besides this, there are a variety of ways that make your mouth prone to someone else’s bad bacteria. Sharing chapstick, for example, can spread bacteria from one person to another. Using the same fork or spoon, sipping from the same straw, and biting off the same piece of food are other ways that can cause this transmission.

In addition, passing oral bacteria from parent to child is among the most typical methods of transmission. Thus, it is crucial to be aware of this risk when kissing infants and newborns. When they are born, they don’t have the germs that cause tooth decay in their mouths, but if they get kissed by someone whose saliva contains germs, those bacteria reach the kid’s mouth and proliferate.

Also read: What Your Teeth & Oral Health Reveal About Your Health

Takeaway

There is nothing much you can do about other oral hygiene. Keeping in mind that you cannot restrict your expression of love, maintaining good oral hygiene to maintain a healthy mouth is the best-suited approach. If you are already suffering from any oral health issues like gum disease, you can potentially give the disease-causing bacteria to someone else through mentioned means. So, getting along with your oral care becomes very important. Along with brushing twice a day, include flossing in your oral care routine. If necessary, avoid sharing utensils and straws. Keep your mouth hydrated and go for routine dental examinations.

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