Christmas Kisses Boost Health

A new study has revealed that kissing is good for your health. It exposes you to healthy bacteria that are essential for digestion and prevention of diseases.

Scientists at Micropia -- the world's first museum of microbes -- in Amsterdam have found out that the amount of bacteria transferred during a French kiss is eight times higher than previously thought, Chicago Tribune reports. This is good news especially for those who indulge in lengthy kisses with their partners.

"What you could say is that when you obtain bacteria from your environment or your partner, which leads to an increased diversity, so more species, there are some indication that this is actually good for your health, because you will be able with more species to have more resistance against invasions of disease-causing micro organisms," said microbiologist Remco Kort.

For this study, the kissing habits of 21 couples were analyzed. Results showed they transferred eighty million microbes during a ten second French kiss. And if they did it nine times a day, they soon shared similar communities of oral bacteria, writes Chicago Tribune.

The micro-organisms in our bodies are essential for food digestion and preventing disease which means that kissing exposes us to healthy bacteria. Micropia scientists have invented a Kiss-O-Meter to help spread the word.

This Christmas, do your health a favor and share some healthy bacteria with your partner under the mistletoe.