Kissing is touching or caressing someone using the lips. People can kiss the lips or another person or other parts of their body, such as their hands, breasts, or genitals.
Kissing usually shows affection or desire. It can also show respect. People often kiss others to greet or farewell them or to show their attraction.
The way we kiss people varies, depending on our relationship and feeling towards them. People kiss family members, friends, and acquaintances in a chaste way, with mouths closed. People usually kiss these contacts on the forehead, cheek, or hand.
The kisses lovers or people seeing one another romantically exchange are often mouth-to-mouth. They are often more intense and arousing. French kisses, with open mouths and tongues, are common during intimate moments, such as before and during sex. Lovers may also kiss their partner's breasts, genitals, or other erogenous zones.
This kind of intimate kissing feels good for many reasons. The lips have many nerve endings that feel good when they’re stimulated through kissing. Kissing also releases endorphins and dopamine, the body’s feel-good neurotransmitters. Studies suggest kissing may help us reduce stress and live longer.
Keeping mouths in good condition improves kissing. Lip balm can keep lips moist and free of cracks while gum and mints can freshen breath between teeth cleans. Start slow, then increase the intensity of your kisses if it seems your partner is enjoying it. Keep your mouth relaxed and don’t be afraid to explore your partner’s body with your hands as you kiss. Communicating with your partner about what you like, and what you don’t, can also make kissing better.
Kissing is a relatively safe form of intimacy. However, it can transmit germs. Delay kissing when someone is sick or has a cold sore. Like all intimate acts, consent is crucial. This doesn’t need to be verbal. Reading signals, such as how someone responds to you getting closer, can also help you learn whether someone consents to your kiss.
