Mwa! 6 Health Benefits of Smooching

POPSUGAR Photography | Sisilia Piring
POPSUGAR Photography | Sisilia Piring

Whether you're making out with a new fling or smacking lips with your partner of 10 years, kissing isn't just for fun, it's also good for your health. Here are some reasons you should spend a little more time smooching.

  1. Getting into a serious French kissing session increases saliva production, which helps to wash away bacteria. This means kissing can help prevent tooth decay and cavities.
  2. Smooching is a major stress reliever, because in a way, it's kind of like meditation. It replaces negative feelings with an intensely happy buzz that can help you (briefly) forget about work deadlines, the fight you had with your sister, or the missing muffler on your car.
  3. Locking lips is a workout for your facial muscles, which can keep that area taut, making you look younger.
  4. Kissing burns calories, which translates to weight loss. A 20-minute make-out session on your couch burns 40 calories, and it's way more fun than hitting the treadmill.
  5. Kissing boosts your immunity. All that swapping spit exchanges germs, too, which forces your body to produce antibodies to prevent you from getting sick. It's like getting a vaccination, so keep the kisses coming in order to keep you healthy.
  6. You can kiss allergies goodbye, too. A Japanese study showed that 30 minutes of kissing reduced blood levels of IgE, an allergy antibody. I'd much rather kiss than pop allergy pills!