7 incredible facts about kissing

Movie legend and style icon Marilyn Monroe said, “One good kiss is worth another.” Such a simple and at the same time beautiful way to confess love without words, but in some countries at different times this gesture caused many prejudices. And some still exist. We have put together the most extraordinary facts about kissing that will surprise you.

“The first kiss is better than the first sex”

British scientists came to this conclusion based on surveys of lovers. If losing virginity is often accompanied by awkwardness, then the first kiss does not require such a masterful technique as sex and therefore seems more romantic. There is also a lot of expectation around first sex, especially for girls. At the same time, even in adolescence, girls often practice kissing with their friends, so they feel safer around young people. But there is another explanation. It turns out that our lips are more sensitive than our genitals due to the presence of nerve endings. For this reason, some women can even reach orgasm during kissing.

Scientists couldn’t find the answer to why we kiss

There are different theories about why we kiss, but scientists have not found a single explanation so far. According to one version, even in ancient times, mothers chewed solid food and transferred it from mouth to mouth to the child, weaning him from the breast. Another version is based on pheromone exchange to determine the biological compatibility of a partner. The same practice applies to animals. Saliva contains secretions from the sebaceous glands that help establish family bonds. Interestingly, if the oil glands are removed, the birds stop transferring food from beak to beak to their mates. One way or another, most researchers agree that kissing is related to cultural characteristics; Because, for example, in some African tribes there is no kissing practice at all.

Kissing is good for your health

Observations of scientists have shown that a passionate kiss helps get rid of extra calories. The funny thing is that the flow of saliva creates a kind of antibacterial bath in your mouth, which is good for your teeth. In addition, the kiss stimulates the production of endorphins (happiness hormone) and oxytocin (love hormone). In addition, during the French kiss, 34 muscles are activated, which are a kind of rejuvenating gymnastics for the face.

Kissing in movies was considered pornography

You’ve probably noticed that in Soviet films and cartoons there are almost no kisses, and if there are kisses, they are shot from such an angle that nothing is visible. In fact, this trend was typical not only for us but also for other countries. Funny, but in 1896 the Vatican demanded that copies of the short film “The Kiss”, in which the kiss was first filmed, be destroyed. The audience considered this the height of depravity and left the show in protest. For example, in the 1930s, the Hays Code, which meant censorship in cinema, was in effect in Hollywood. It was considered outdated and abolished in the 1960s, however, until then directors had to comply with strict regulations according to which prolonged and passionate kisses were considered unacceptable. Meanwhile, there is a moment in the movie “The Aviator” (2004) where Leonardo DiCaprio’s character mocks the absurdity of the Hays Code by showing film distributors the shapes of women’s lips, asking which ones, in their opinion, count. obscene.

Some people don’t like kissing

We are talking about some peoples of Africa, Asia and South America. Moreover, the tradition has been preserved to this day. Please note that there are almost no kisses in Indian, Chinese, Japanese and South Korean movies (other than hints of it). And this despite the fact that it was the Hindus who invented the Kama Sutra! The fact is that among Asians, sex is not associated with the concept of sin: in Buddhism and Taoism, sexual pleasures are a concern for health and even energy exchange with the gods. In 1860, during a trip to the United States, Japanese politician Fukuzawa Yukichi wrote in his diary that he was very surprised by mothers kissing their children. After all, in her country, kissing seemed to be either absent from the culture or so rare that you couldn’t see it in public.

People have neurons that help them kiss in the dark

The cerebral cortex contains neurons that help read tactile signals in the dark. Surprisingly, even when the lights are off, children kiss their parents’ lips and cheeks before going to bed.

Some people are scared to death of kissing

Philemophobia is the name given to the fear of kissing. Stress or discomfort often results from psychological reasons, not cultural restrictions. Such a person is afraid of losing control over himself and becoming defenseless.