Kissing: no stranger to danger

Provenance: Kissing as a societal habit, is as ancient as recorded History. Kissing , long practiced in many cultures and regarded as a benign from of social communication, is not as innocent as most will believe. Aim: This article appraises types of kissing and possible disadvantages arising from ignorant sub-conscious spread of infection. Discussion: Progressive knowledge about viruses (mainly Hepatitis, Human Papilloma Viruses, and others), and their relation to infections and cancer, have coerced compelling re-assessment of social and personal kissing habits. Concluding Remarks: Kissing may be a dangerous practice for picking up infections and increased awareness of this should be publicized by all health care workers, particularly dentists.