10 Curious Facts About Kissing

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Humans have been tangling tongues for as long as they've walked the earth. Here are some amazing facts about kissing that you probably didn't know!

1. The Word Kiss Is Based on a Sound

The word kiss is said to be derived from the Germanic word kuss, which imitates the smacking sound of two lips meeting. In other circles, kiss is said to be derived from the old English word cyssan. In Japanese the word for kiss is also a sound (kisu), but the French refer to a kiss as "baiser."

2. Not Everybody Likes to Lock Lips

Some cultures simply don't kiss! In most cultures kissing does not have a practical purpose. Kissing in public is deemed taboo in many Asian cultures, and French kissing was originally a slur on the French -- people thought they thought about sex too much!

3. Kissing Calms You Down

When you lock lips, the brain lights up like a city block, releasing a flood of chemicals throughout the body. This heavy duty hormone cocktail that triggers affection and cements attraction. In men, this encourages testosterone to build up to promote feelings of protectiveness. In women, the chemical compound encourages bonding.

4. Kissing is Addicting

That's because a compound in human saliva that serves to create a feeling of addiction. You basically get hooked on the taste of the other person's spit. It's an evolutionary tactic designed to help us check partners out before hooking up, because saliva hosts a ton of minute clues about immunity, genes and compatibility.

5. Your Brain Likes Kissing New People

That lovely hormone that gets you addicted floods your system whenever you kiss a new partner, making you love-drunk, miss sleep and generally fall in love. But the dopamine gradually wears off, which is why kissing the same person can quickly get old.

6. Kissing is Healthy

Kissing boosts the immune system because you share germs. In a healthy situation, your body reacts to the kissing by attacking the other's person's saliva, increasing your immunity. Not only that, all the other stuff that goes with kissing (foreplay, groping, heavy petting) lowers your blood pressure and releases stress!

7. The Kiss of Death is Real!

Ever kissed someone and felt nothing? That's because your body is telling you that person isn't a suitable mate. A lot of us still operate on instinct when it comes to finding that significant other. Kissing is one way to rule unsuitable potential partners out. So the next time you lock lips and don't feel a thing, listen to your body and walk away.

8. Kissing Makes Relationships Last

45% of people in long term relationships report higher levels of satisfaction if they just keep making out. More kissing, researches fond, also tended to lead to more sex. This is because some researchers believe that open-mouth kissing functions as prep for sex. Psychologists believe it's because passionate kissing continually renews the bond between partners.

9. Bad Kissers Don't Get Laid

Women place more importance on kissing than any other romantic skill. If you kiss like a sloppy baboon, chances are she won't let you in her bed. Men, on the other hand, are ambivalent about kissing skills and prefer sloppy kissers, since this indicates a willingness to have sex.

10. Kissing Takes Effort

During a kiss, you move at least 34 facial muscles! It also involves at least 112 other muscles that include the neck, shoulders and arms. The kissing muscle moves the lips into a puckered shape, and it said to be the most important.

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