Crazy facts about kissing you never knew

The importance of kissing in relationships is well-documented. In fact, research shows that 59 percent of men and 66 percent of women have found themselves less attracted to a potential partner after a bad first kiss; further, Butler University's John Bohannon surveyed 500 people and found that most people can remember up to 90 percent of the details of a first romantic kiss. That's a lot of pressure during the early days of courtship, no?
Whether you refer to it as smooching, snogging, tonsil hockey, or making out, here are some crazy facts about kissing you likely never knew, from the surprising health benefits of locking lips to details on the first-ever kiss in film history.



According to a study from the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research, a 10-second kiss transfers as many as 80 million bacteria between you and your partner. If the idea makes you want to run to the bathroom to brush your teeth, hold on a moment.
As it turns out, germ exposure can provide a healthy boost to your immune system. "Swapping spit means swapping germs, and that is nature's natural form of vaccination," Dr. Yael Varnado, founder of Get Checked 4 Life (a nonprofit organization that provides access to health services for at-risk communities) told Match.com. "Being exposed to others' germs causes your body to make antibodies against those germs, which can in turn lead to immunity and prevent illness."
One caveat: Make sure your partner isn't already sick before you pucker up.



Think back to the beginning of a relationship, when the butterflies of new attraction meant you could kiss for hours without taking a break. But even the longest of make-out sessions in early courtship can't compare to the Guinness World Record for longest continuous kiss, set during a 2013 competition in Thailand.
After 58 hours, 35 minutes, and 58 seconds, Ekkachai and Laksana Tiranarat were the last couple standing, winning more than $9,000 in cash and prizes. We don't know about you, but we have all sorts of questions for the Tiranarats: How much lip balm did they use? Were they allowed to take bathroom breaks? What about naps, not to mention food or even breath mints? Regardless, their achievement is nothing short of awe-inspiring.